


Wolves' Teeth

by sleepicide



Category: Naruto
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, BAMF Dai-nana-han | Team 7 (Naruto), BAMF Haruno Sakura, BAMF Inuzuka Kiba, BAMF Nara Shikamaru, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, Betrayal, Crying, Dehumanization, Fluff and Angst, Haku (Naruto) Lives, Haku (Naruto) is nonbinary, Hatake Kakashi Has Issues, Hatake Kakashi Is Trying, Hatake Kakashi is Bad at Feelings, Hatake Kakashi is a Bad Teacher, Heavy Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Momochi Zabuza Lives, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Hatake Kakashi, Protective Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama, Protective Nara Shikamaru, Protective Uchiha Sasuke, Protective Uzumaki Naruto, Psychological Torture, Smart Uzumaki Naruto, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Strong Haruno Sakura, Torture, Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto Friendship, Uchiha Sasuke Has Issues, Uzumaki Naruto is a Good Friend, haruno sakura gets the story she deserved, you're gonna hate kakashi lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 36,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21915763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepicide/pseuds/sleepicide
Summary: Just as she’s slipping on her sandals, her hair not even pulled up in its signature ponytail or buns yet, there’s a pounding on her door, and then Naruto is bursting through and collapsing on her couch. Her arms twitched as she stared at him for a second, before she shook her head at him.“Naruto-kun, you’re breaking and entering, y’know.” she drawled, finishing zipping and buckling her mid-calf sandals.or;Haztanukai Freyja is a disgraced clan heir who's transferred to Konoha, and nothing is every easy with Team Disaster.
Relationships: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 (Naruto) & Original Female Character(s), Haruno Sakura & Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura & Original Female Character(s), Haruno Sakura & Shiranui Genma, Rookie Nine (Naruto) & Original Female Character(s), Uchiha Sasuke & Original Female Character(s), Uzumaki Naruto & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 41
Kudos: 147





	1. A Wolf Arrives

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Deception of Dai-nana-han](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18323039) by [Nightwing15](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightwing15/pseuds/Nightwing15). 



> hello hello hello! this is the revamped version of 'When The Spirit's Wind Howls' and i hope you like it! a lot of things are gonna be different this time around, so buckle up! if you're new here, hi! i hope you enjoy the story. 
> 
> much love,  
> carson xx

The jarring sensation running up through her legs from her landing barely registers to her, and she huffs, her thick woolen scarf directing it back at her. 

She stared at the large red gates in front of her, adjusting the strap of her bag. With a sigh, the disowned clan heir began trekking towards the two gate guards. They stared a bit warily at her, glancing towards each other as she drew a scroll out of her pocket, reaching out a bandage-covered arm and offering it to the slightly taller one.

He peered up at her, before unsealing the scroll and glancing over it, before handing it to his wild-haired partner.

“Name, rank, and business here?” he asked, and she gives a small hum.

“Haztanukai Freyja, genin, I’ve been transferred to Konoha.”

“Proof of identification?”

The dark skinned girl simply lifted one of her unwrapped fingers, her thumb, to be specific, and dragged it across her sharper than average canine; it drew blood, and she let drip onto the scroll, the blood and a small pulse of her chakra allowing a seal and the Kazekage’s signature appeared. 

The taller of the two nodded, stepping aside and allowing her inside. 

The taller-than-average 16 year old bowed a little, before continuing on. She felt the seals on the back of her thighs tingle, and she gave the tattooed kanji for ‘lightning’ a small pulse of chakra, seeing the large, pure black wolf appear next to her. 

She saw a few civvies scramble backwards, but that's none of her concern. It seemed Dorje shared the sentiment, as he cut blazing glares to anyone who got close enough, even a growl or two sprinkled in here or there.

Kaminari no Dorje was a large ninken, his back standing at a 5’4, and his ears hitting the 6’ mark. He was from one of her clan’s main bloodlines of wolves; as his name suggests, he was one of their lightning affinity ninken. He’d been hand picked for her, having been a prodigy of his litter, the same for the other ~~three~~ two.

It was by sheer luck she and the wolf got along well, were actually closer than an Inuzuka and their ninken could _dream_ of being, although you’d never be able to tell it from the way the walked beside each other now: their stance was stiff, eyes cold and detached, chakra rippling dangerously, and Suna headbands still sitting in plain sight for anyone to see. 

She could feel eyes on them, and tracked them to a silver haired man, who was watching them with a wary eye. A soft snap of her fingers had the orange-eyed wolf stopping in his tracks. He tilted his head at her just barely, flicking his ear in question. She nodded to the jounin watching them, and he made an understanding rumble.

They stared at each other for another few seconds, before she snapped her fingers again, and she was moving towards the Hokage Tower yet again. She pressed down on a seal on her bandaged palm, channeling some chakra into it as she did.

‘ _He gave me the creeps.’_ she spoke, but her mouth didn’t move, and Dorje’s hum rumbled through her head.

_‘Me too, almost like he knew something we didn’t.’_

She gave a hum of her own, not saying anything, but not disabling the Talk Seal. One of her old genin partners ( ~~ _brightbrighteyesredeyesprettyredeyesbloodredliekbloodblood_ **_blood_ )**~~ had been very interested in fuuinjutsu, so much so, that he had carved seals into her and her other teammates skin (storage seals, chakra seals, you name it, it was probably on her somewhere) and he had created what he dubbed the ‘Mouth Seal’ which allowed them to communicate without others hearing them, and making it appear that they weren’t talking at all, wherever, whenever. Dorje, Suotomo, and Guadalupe had gotten ones carved into their paw pads, as well. It could only be activated with their chakra and fingerprints.

Now that there were only four beings alive with that seal, it was something that was equally convenient and cripplingly painful. 

When she arrived at the Hokage’s office door, she knocked, and once instructed to, enters, the wolf trailing behind her obediently. 

“Hokage-sama, it’s an honor to be here.” she bows low and respectfully, before straightening up. 

“The pleasure is all mine, Freyja-chan. Did you get here okay?” he asks, conversationally, and she nods, shifting her weight slightly. Realizing she’s not going to speak anymore, Sarutobi gives a hum, “I’ve decided to place you on a genin team.”

Her finger twitches violently, but she merely nods. She can smell the ANBU guards growing tenser, so she turns her eyes to stare down the hidden figure who is undoubtedly the tensest, and sets her hand on Dorje; she gives a small pulse of chakra, and the wolf is back in the seal, and her hand drops back to her side.

Once the tension in the room died down, she flicked her eyes back to the hokage. He takes this as a sign to continue.

“You’ll be training with Team 7, under Hatake Kakashi.”

There’s a sudden shift in chakra, air pressure, and smells and Freyja’s _whole arm spasms._ It’s a violent spasm, her hands twitching, grasping, reaching for something ~~_tostrangletohurthurthurt_ **_hurt_ ** _tearouttheir_ **_throat_ ** ~~, anything. She just hums, waving a dismissive hand as her other limb spasms.

“Ignore it, it does that sometimes.” her voice is cool, and almost immediately, the arm stops spasming. She turns her head to look at the newcomer and- oh. “It’s you.” she says, plainly and the silver haired man nods.

“Yo.”

She nods back at him, before turning and bowing respectfully, “Thank you for agreeing to be my sensei, Hatake-san.” 

“Maa, maa,” she straightens back up, blinking curiously as the man waves away her formalities and thanks, “just call me Kakashi, yeah?”

“Okay, Kakashi-san.”

At his slightly desspared look, the hokage cuts in again, “He will also be showing you to your new apartment. You’re dismissed, I hope you enjoy your time in Kohana, Freyja-chan.”

She nods, giving a closed eye smile, as her mouth is hidden beneath her scarf. She bowed once more, before letting Kakashi lead her out.

Once she was out of the room, she resummoned Dorje, and he nipped at her hand.

_‘If you ever do that again, I will kill you.’_

Pressing a finger against the seal and giving it a little chakra, she easily replied back. _‘No you won’t, you like me too much to kill me.’_

Dorje’s answering glare was enough for the ravenette to raise her brows slightly, though unimpressed, _‘Don’t test me, Haztanukai.’_

She hummed, not bothering to pay attention to the fact that her new sensei was giving her an odd look as her and her summon were communicating slightly.

She let her chakra ripple out, the cool soothingness of her water chakra contrasting with the jumpy, crackling energy Dorje’s lightning chakra was brimming with. She let hers flick out at the summon, and he yelped, backing up.

Freyja saw the man tilt his head curiously at the two, and she tentatively let her chakra lap out at his, tilting her head like a puppy as she felt the calmer, but still dangerous, lightning chakra of her new sensei. It flicked back at hers, and she felt some tension bleed from her muscles.

 _‘Home._ ’ she said, ignoring the way Dorje’s eyes snapped towards her. _‘He feels like home.’_

After a second, they begin moving again, the shorter of the two funneling chakra to her already sensitive nose, picking up the more discreet smells. 

As they passed a ramen stand, Kakashi’s pheromones spiked, and a soft smell of happy (warmth-grass-electricity) and a bit of love. 

She, having no social tact, furrowed her brows and muttered, “You like _ramen?_ ”

The startled glance the jounin sent her was missed as she looked ridiculously at the wolf beside her. He merely made a head movement that she’d learned to interpret as the equivalent to a shrug.

“Don’t look at me pup.”

“But-”

A sharp glare cuts her off, and she growls quietly under her breath. The canine growled back, and neither paid attention to the older man as he guided them to their new residence. 

“Hatake!” another jounin called out, and the three turned their heads toward him, curiously, “We need you at the gates real quick, can you help?”

“Maa, well-” he glanced over to his charge, and saw her waving her hand dismissively, while her summon looked less than pleased. 

“We’ll find out way, I learn the layout of places better that way.” she said, giving him an eye-smile as she readjusted her scarf from where it was slipping slightly.

He nodded, fishing something out of his pocket, “Here, it’s your Konoha headband.” he held it out to her, and she nodded her thanks, grabbing it gently from his hand. He gave her one last nod, before walking away with the other shinobi.

“Oi! I’ll need three more for my summons!” she called, and scowled as the older waved his hand dismissively over his shoulder. 

“Let’s get going, kid.” Dorje sighed, nipping Freyja’s hip. She whined slightly at it, giving him a half hearted glare.

“The rooftops?” she muttered, and the wolf nodded. Channeling chakra to her legs, she jumps, landing on the rooftop closest to them. A few seconds later, the wolf lands beside her. She glances at the cracked tiles beneath his paws, and sighs, “Someone’s gonna be mad about that.”

“Oh, like the ANBU that’s been trailing us since we’ve been here?” he asks, and she can smell their suspicion shoot through the, for lack of a better word, roof.

“You ditz,” she hisses, flicking the space between his eyes, “Have you never learned to not look a gift horse in the mouth?”

“Last time I saw a horse, I ate it.” he snaps back, and she glowers, putting bandaged hands on wide hips.

“Yeah, because you’re an overgrown _puppy_ with no self control.” 

“You whore, you take that back, I am a dignified wolf and-”

“Yeah, and the ANBU who is slowly creeping closer is undetected, sure. Let’s get going, I’m tired and I want to eat.” she huffed, bounding off and jumping onto the next rooftop.

Predicitibly, the wolf caught up to her running quickly, long legs stretching and powerful muscles giving him better jumps. 

“So, we’re in agreement that Hatake was kinda creepy?”

“Oh, totally. His chakra might feel like home, but I think he would sooner cut off his own leg than bring us any closer than arm’s length.” she shrugged, grinning to herself. 

“Do you know the last person who’s chakra you said felt like ‘home’? Momochi Zabuza.” the wolf pointed out, and she merely hummed.

“I miss him, and Haku. That reminds me, I need to sharpen that katana they gave me.”

“Zabuza was so jumpy around you, it was kinda funny.”

“He was viciously mauled by a Haztanukai, have you no mercy on a man scarred?” she teased, and the canine mocked her under his breath. 

“Mercy on a man scarred, sure. He’s an S-rank _missing nin,_ he’s fine.”

“I wonder where he is, we should visit someti- ow! Why’d you bite me?”

“‘I’m Freyja, and I joke about visiting nunkien when the ANBU is breathing down our backs.’ You’re gonna get us killed before our legacy had its chance to fester.” he hisses, and she gave him a bland look

“Very bold of you to assume the Hokage would let his expensive new toy get slaughtered. We’re assets, one of a kind, Dorje. You can get ANBU a dime a dozen, most of the time: traumatized kids and adults, shoved to do the dirty work.” she shrugged, “We’ll most likely be flaunted around a little, a show of power, and then disappear into T&I or something.” her tone is only slightly bitter, but she’s already come to accept her fate. 

“Don’t say that, the walls have ears.” he drawled, as they paused on a roof. She gripped her left knee, lightly massaging it with her bare fingers, channeling chakra into the tips of them. She scrunched her nose, it was beginning to slightly ache. 

“Still, you know I’m…” she trailed off, eyes narrowing in on an orange blob on top of a rooftop. A quick sniff determined it was a kid, probably a few years younger than her, and he smelled normal but the undertones of it were _dangerous._

Her feet are moving before she thinks. 

She can hear Dorje’s claws scraping against tile as she flies at the kid quickly, hears him snarl viciously at the ANBU that’s been tailing them when she lands beside the sunshine child, who gives a yelp. 

“Hey! Who’re you?!” he shouts, blue eyes narrowed at her suspiciously, and she tilts her head.

“Haztanukai Freyja,” she can see the little gears turning in his head, confusion slowly bleeding into his scent, “you are?”

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto, the kid who’s gonna become the next hokage, believe it!” he grins up at her, and oh, that tooth’s a little too sharp to be normal and the shape of the grin itself is mischievous. She decides she likes this kid.

~~_runtruntofthelittersmallandweakprotectprotect_ **_protect_ ** ~~

“Oh? That’s quite the goal, Naruto-kun, but I’m sure you can handle it.” her half-lidded eyes and raised brows are amused, but her posture is slack, barely any tension hiding in her muscles. 

The boy doesn’t respond for a moment, before his grin became wider, and bordered on smug, “Of course I can, I’m the greatest ninja ever!” 

She felt the wolf’s fur brush her arm as he landed beside her, and grinned wide as Naruto yelped and scrambled away. 

“Ah, don’t mind Dorje here, he’s just a little intimidating.” she mused, sharp eyes watching the blond carefully. 

“Hn.” the wolf snarled from beside her, plucking a shuriken from his chest with his teeth. Naruto looked like he could faint.

“Let’s get you home, okay kid? It’s about to be dark out, yeah?” she tilted her head, and Naruto shuffled. _‘Discomfort,’_ her mental file of different smells and what they meant quickly summed up. “Where would you happen to live, Naruto-kun?” 

“In this apartment complex, actually, room 4-C.” his eyes are wary, and she nods. 

“This is where our new apartment is.” Dorje rumbles from beside her, and the small amount of surprise she shows is only half feigned. 

“Oh? How convenient.” she pats the wolf’s head, and thinks she needs to get her Inner Wolf in line before she mauls the ANBU radiating the smell of _hate_ towards -her- this pup. “Let’s get inside, I’m room 3-C.”

And so they do, and if she cuts a withering glare at the Dove-masked ANBU, well, Naruto never had to know.

The morning after she meets the Uzumaki is calm, and she rises at 4 am on the dot, but lays in bed for another 10 minutes, before begrudging getting up and shuffling out of her room and into the main room. 

Her pre-set out clothes are sitting on the corner, and it still smells like the instant ramen she whipped up to eat before she went to sleep last night. She let out a quiet groan as she stretched stiff muscles and _oh_ those pops did not sound healthy. 

She fixes herself some coffee, and walks around her apartment, large hands trailing the walls and marking her scent on it. She spends no less than 30 minutes making sure her new home smelled like her, and once she was done, she strips naked in her kitchen-- because it’s her place god dammit and she’ll be naked if she wants to.

She pulled on the leather tube-top that suppresses her breasts, making them smaller than they actually were, and she put on the over-the-breast black and grey jacket, the high-ish collar hitting the bottom of her jaw ever so often as she zips it up. The loose but reliable pants are slightly stiff, but she liked them that way, and after securing them right below her navel she wrapped bandages around the bottoms of them, securing them to her legs. 

Just as she’s slipping on her sandals, her hair not even pulled up in its signature ponytail or buns yet, there’s a pounding on her door, and then Naruto is bursting through and collapsing on her couch. Her arms twitched as she stared at him for a second, before she shook her head at him. 

“Naruto-kun, you’re breaking and entering, y’know.” she drawled, finishing zipping and buckling her mid-calf sandals.

“Nehh, sorry Haztanukai-san!” he said, but didn’t move. The taller of the two felt a smile twitch at her lips as she stood up. 

“Just call me Freyja, kid, I’m only a few years older than you.” she hummed, before extending a hand to the boy, “C’mon, I’ll walk you to your training grounds and then I’ll track down my own sensei, okay?” 

Naruto nodded, placing a smaller, tanned hand in hers and yelping a little as she hauled him up. She let go of his hand and walked to the door, pulsing some chakra into the protective seal painted there, and gently led him out of her apartment.

Naruto walked close to her side, close enough for her to feel his jacket brush hers when she stopped tucking her arms close to her sides, and it was okay. She liked having certain people close to her, made them easier to hold tight and protect. 

A civilian woman reached out her foot to trip the blond beside her as they walked down the street, and Freyja snattched him closer to her side, letting a nasty snarl rip from the depths of her throat on instinct; figuring she had already gone this far, she bared her dog-like teeth, before dragging Naruto forward.

“I hate civilian whores.” she grumbled, not removing her arm that was wrapped around Naruto’s shoulders that was clutching him to her side. Naruto didn’t try to move, either.

“So, who’s your sensei, Freyja-chan?” the shorter asked, looking up at her, big blues sparkling with something akin to awe. The said girl just chuckled, shrugging a little.

“His name’s Hatake Kak-” before she could finish her sentence, Naruto grabbed her bicep, squeezing.

“That’s my sensei too! You’re on Team 7, yeah?” he was absolutely beaming, and she nodded. 

“It is Naruto-kun. Now, let’s head to our training grounds, yeah? Wouldn’t want to keep our sensei waiting.”

When they walk into training ground 3, a pink haired girl and a brooding ravenette are who greet them. Freyja’s nose scrunches from the almost overwhelming smell of _pain_ but not the kind that comes from wounds. She decides these two are going to be protected by her, too. 

“Naruto! You can’t just bring random shinobi to our training grounds! Especially ones that look like _that!_ ” Pinkie yells, and she feels Naruto tense.

“Hey! Don’t talk about Freyja-chan like that! It’s her body, she can dress how she wants!” he defended, and the girl gave a grin.

“Exactly Naruto-kun. A woman can dress however she wants, it doesn’t take away from her character at all. Remember that.” she said, stepping away from the blond and standing in front of the two other genin. “Hi brats, I’m Haztanukai Freyja, your new teammate, I’m glad to be working with you.” she gave a small bow, and rose a brow when the black haired boy grunted. 

“You’re probably just useless like these two.” he scowled, Naruto giving a shout of protest behind her.

“That’s not a nice way to refer to your teammates...” she trailed off, and after hearing him mutter his name, she continued, “Sasuke-kun. You’re very lucky to have teammates that care about you. You should at least make an effort to work with them, no matter what might have happened.”

Black eyes narrowed in on her immediately, and she keeps her chin held high, narrowing hers back. Everyone had heard of the Uchiha massacre, it was a tragedy. The Haztanukai massacrre in the Snow had been better kept under wraps, but that’s probably only because the main compound is rather reclusive. 

“You look like you know so much about teamwork.” he replied, biting and sarcastic, but with an edge to his eyes that wasn’t there before.

“I do, me and my genin teammates were well on our way to becoming powerhouses.” the admission was bitter on her tongue, ‘were’ coming out of her mouth like a poison.

“Oh, then where are they now, Haztanukai-san?”

“They’re dead.”

Her answers brings the clearing to a quick silence; she sees the pinkette tense, hears Naruto suck in a breath and the Uchiha’s entire body go rigid. She decides to drive the point home, even though she can smell Hatake in the trees.

“Do _not_ think you’re safe, or invincible because of your clans ability, Sasuke-kun. Trust your teammates, allowing them to trust you as well; be able to rely on each other, and it might just save your life.” she gives a small shrug, as if she hadn’t just passively aggressively torn into one of the last Uchiha.

“A lot of good that did you, hn?” he shoots back, and it’s Freyja’s turn to go stock still. 

“It saved us a lot of times, and it continued to work until near the very end.” she takes a few steps forward, and smells the jounin’s pheromones spike dangerously, “I was your age, and I thought we ruled the world, and look what that got me,” she stopped in front of him, sending out a wave of Intent, not K.I, but close, and crouched. “Three dead teammates, and the scars to show for it. Whatever the fuck you’re planning on doing, kid, you’re not gonna be able to do it alone: accept the help, or rot in an early grave like the rest of the Uchiha, only you can make that choice.” 

And then she’s standing back up, and walks back to where she had been standing, and looks up at the trees. “Neh, Kakashi-sensei, are you gonna come down?” she asked, voice bordering on a whine, and head tilted to the side, as if she hadn’t just bitch slapped the egotistical black haired boy with words. 

The white haired man jumps down from the trees, all smiles with sharp edges and sharper teeth, “Maa, that’s an impressive sensory skill you have there, Freyja-chan.” the tone is light, probably sounds a little praise-like to the genin, but the older can hear the tint of steel and accusation in it. 

“Ah, it’s actually my sense of smell, Kakashi-sensei. It’s better than most ninken, actually, I just don’t want to advertise it.” there’s a hint of bashfulness in the beginning, that she quickly beats out, but from the way Hatake’s eye twinkles she knows he’d heard it. 

“Oh?” and the mother fucker tilts his head, and she gives a snuff of distaste.

“If I have to go on one more tracking mission, I will rip my hair out.” she doesn’t bother to hide the grumpiness in her voice, and Naruto laughs, deep and hearty from his chest. It warms something she’d buried a long time ago, a flame threatening to flicker to life. 

(later that night, she feels her Inner Wolf bite down on that flicker, extinguishing it. The warmth doesn’t come back that night.) 

Training with Team 7 is so much different than training with ( ~~ _Team4TeamHTeamPHTeamWe’reGonnaMakeItTeamAllOfUsDiedButOne)_~~ her original team. It’s barely training and it’s the fourth time she sees Sakura get pushed aside that she snaps.

Sakura doesn’t like her, she knows; knows she doesn’t like the way she dresses and the way she laughs, teeth bared and head thrown back. She knows she doesn’t approve of the way she jostles Naruto around when she’s teasing him, despite the fact that she hits him for no reason. She knows how it feels, and she, quite frankly, doesn’t give a damn.

“Maa, Sakura-chan, why don’t you go re-” Hatake’s tone is light, but Freyja’s angry snarl cuts him off. 

She walks with purpose towards the pink haired girl, skillfully ignoring how her sensei tenses up, and comes to a stop in front of her.

“Taijutsu katas, _now_ Sakura.” she bites out the last part when she sees protest building on the tip of her tongue. 

The younger’s eyes flicker between her and the silver-haired man behind her, before nodding, and steps into the first kata. Freyja is immediately by her side to shove her down.

“Wrong, again.” she commands, and Sakura, to her credit, does it again. And again. And again. 

“Wrong, your ribs are open.”

“No. Are you going defensive or offensive?”

“That’s a travesty. Set your feet like _this,_ not like… whatever the fuck that is.”

“Sakura I am going to _skin you alive_ why are you back into the first position?” 

Sakura is dirty and panting by the time Freyja can’t shove her down with two fingers, eyes burning with frustration. 

“Good. Second stance.”

And the process starts over again. 

When Kakashi (and when did that happen?) tells them to call it quits, Sakura is more than happy, but Freyja’s hand gripped in her collar stops her.

“Me and you are gonna have a chat, Sakura, don’t worry, it won’t take long.” she reassures, making her face softened into something more welcoming at the girl’s exasperation. 

“Yes, Freyja-chan?” she asks, always the respectful one, and the taller sighs.

“There’s no reason to say either of these things ‘gently’ so I’m just gonna dive right in,” she says, tone as caring as she can make it after years of having emotions beat out of her, “I know you’ve been dieting, and that needs to stop immediately. You’re not giving your body the nutrients it needs, and so it’s using chakra to keep itself going, but what happens once that chakra isn’t enough? It starts preserving energy, and do you know how it does that?” she asked, and at Sakura’s bashful head shake, she gently set her hand on her shoulder. “It starts shutting down your organs, and do you know which organ is the first to go?” 

She gently tapped her navel with her other hand, “Your uterus, cause you don’t need that to survive.”

Sakura looks horrified, “B-but then you-”

“Can’t have kids, I know.” she sets her face into a stern expression, and tightens her grip on her shoulder, “Which is why you need to eat what a genin your age is supposed to and not starve yourself. It can kill you, Sakura, and I know you don’t like me that much, but I do care. I want the best for this team, do you understand?” she asks softly, and the pinkette nods. 

“But, won’t I get fat?” she asks softly, locking previously averted eyes with her and _oh,_ the vulnerability in them was heartbreaking.

“Am I fat, Sakura?”

The girl sputtered, vaguely gesturing to her toned stomach and abs, “Of course not!”

“It’s because I train my whole body, not just my chakra. If you train, you’ll get fit, not fat, so why would you?” she grinned as she saw pieces begin clicking in her head. She decides to move onto the next point, “I know that you like your clothes, but they’re impractical, you can’t move much in them, and they stick out like a sore thumb. If you want, you can come and I’ll help you pick out clothes suited to your tastes and the job of a shinobi.”

Sakura stares at here for a second, before barreling into her with a bone shattering hug, little sniffles escaping her.

Freyja hugs back.

(that night, the wolf inside of her mind screams with rage and protectiveness when the flame won't go out. She finds she doesn’t mind.) 

Team 7 meets Dorje the next day. She’s sitting under a tree as they eat lunch together, and she feels the bubble of lightning chakra-- chakra that isn’t hers in any way shape or form --in the kanji for it. She merely mutters a half assed ‘watch out’ and then the bastard is in the clearing, nearly on top of her. 

Kakashi is up in arms in seconds, but she waves her hand, swallowing the bit of food in her mouth and looking up at him, an unimpressed tilt to her brows.

“What did I say about self summoning, Dorje?” she drawls, but she’s amused with the impatient wolf’s antics.

“Freyja, look me in my eyes, and ask me if I look like I give a shit about what you think.” orange eyes spark with barely concealed excitement, and he nudges his wet, cold nose under her sharp jaw, “I wanted to meet the new p-” he pauses, seeing her harsh glare, “The pups. The pups. Yeah.”

Hatake’s pheromones, and oh isn’t that a shock, he knows _pack_ things, spread over the field, trying to assert himself as _Alpha_ over the wolf. Freyja nearly laughs. 

“Well, meet them. Bother Sasuke first.” she teases, but the wolf does so, trotting up happily to the black haired boy and-

He knocks him over. Naruto chokes on his ramen as Sasuke hits the ground, winded. Dorje shoves his nose into the dip of his throat to the base of his head, sniffing and nudging and all around being annoying as fuck. Sasuke’s scent is coated by the smell of fresh rain- happiness. He can act like he hates it all he wants as he half heartedly shoves as the wolf’s snout, but he can’t hide his emotions from her smell.

He moves to Sakura next, nose gentle as it brushes over her cheekbones, and then podding as it runs over her rib. He turns to Freyja, tail lashing angrily. 

“She’s small, underweight.” he says, almost like an accusation, and she raises a brow.

“We’re working on it.” she responds, eating another riceball. Dorje scoffs, whirling around on _Kakashi_ this time, eyes narrowed and back bristled.

“Have you no shame?” he spits, as if disgusted, and knocks at Sakura’s shoulder, and she hits the ground with less than half the force Sasuke did, a soft _‘ouf!’_ escaping her as she did. She had, thankfully, already finished her protein and nutrient filled lunch Freyja had prepared for her that morning.

“Maa?” is all Hatake says, and it just makes Dorje angrier, chakra stirring.

“And you have the nerve to try to wash me out with your mutt pheromones, like you’re a worthy _Alpha,_ it’s disgraceful. You would have just let her starve and wither away, hn? ‘Cause she’s a civilian born? I’ve seen _strays_ that take better care of their pups than you!” the scent of lightning is bristling from both males so heavily she sees Naruto having a little trouble breathing, Sakura seems pinned to the ground from their waves of Intent, and Sasuke’s eyes tell her he’s seeing something and then-

Dorje chokes on the bitter smell of _fear_ from a pup, a curdled milk smell, and Freyja is already squeezing Sasuke to her so tight she can feel his heartbeat against his chest and his bony elbows digging into her sides as she gives a deep rumble from her chest, sending out wave after wave of Positive Intent, washing away the other easily.

“You’re okay,” she croaks because this is a familiar scene in her minds eye, sitting there for god knows how long, “You’re fine, Dorje and Kakashi are just fucking dumbasses, it’s okay."

Sasuke’s mouth, which is pressed against her covered collar bone, morphs into a grin, and his heart isn’t jack rabbiting anymore, so she lets him go, careful hands smoothing over his hair, and once he swats at her hand, she smiles, bright and toothy because he’s okay now.

Dorje is curled around Naruto and Sakura, seeming displeased every time he bumps Sakura’s ribs. She gently nudges him towards them, and the wolf stretches out to make room for the pup. 

A gentle smile curls onto her face at the sight, but Kakashi’s eye looks a little haunted. Deciding to lighten the mood she made a noise, making him look towards her.

She spread her arms playfully, “You wanna cuddle too, Kakashi-sensei?”she asked, and she beamed as she saw his shoulders sag and a twinkle come back to his eyes. 

Team 7 would never be Team 4, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. 


	2. A Wolf Guides Pups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team "spars," Sakura wants summons, Freyja discovers a village secret, and the team goes on their first C rank, as well as learned Freyja has weird connections.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew chile,,, a lot of shit happens in this chapter. so, enjoy???  
> also!! are there any people you'd like to see freyja meet/be shipped with?? comment below!
> 
> much love,  
> carson xx

It’s on her second week of training with them that they ‘spar’. It’s Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke vs. Freyja. The oldest of the four is rather proud of the progress they've made, but decides her wolves are off limits, as are any actual jutsu’s towards the pups. Kakashi agrees with it, and after setting up in a tree, lets them loose on her. 

Sasuke is the one who moves forward first, shuriken and kunai flying, and she dodges all of them with practiced ease. She takes a deep breath, and closes her eyes, sending out a pulse of near-undetectable chakra. 5 Naruto’s to her left, Sasuke is coming towards her from the South-East, and Sakura is coming up behind her. She takes another breath, and reeling her arm back, sends a wave of pure, focused chakra towards the ground, jumping away from the destruction as it hits. Her eyes snapped open, quickly checking on the kids, and grins at the fact that there’s only one Naruto now, and that Sakura and Sasuke are okay.

“Gotta do better than that, kids!” she calls out from the tree she’s landed on, and throws her head back and laughs at the vicious look in their eyes. 

It goes on like this for a little over 30 minutes, a glorified game of Cat and Mouse. She dodges and evades them like it’s a stroll, and she hears them start to let out noises of frustration. 

And then, she sees him. That motherfucker; that fucking _tool._

“That’s cheating, you dog fucker!” she screeches as she just barely dodges a kunai.

Kakashi genuinely looks shocked at the insult for a moment, one visible eye widening comedically, before he schools his expression again and shrugs. 

“It’s my game, Freyja-chan.” is all he says as his team and little shitty ninken charge her, and she lets out a near _howl_ of frustration. 

“I hope fire ants bite your fucking dick, Hatake!” she yells as she kicks a ninken away like a ball, letting out a ‘sorry!’ as it goes flying. It summersaults through the air, and she has to physically bite her forked tongue to stop from laughing.

“That was so mean, Freyja!” Sakura yells, but Naruto is leaned up against a tree near tears because he’s laughing so hard. Sasuke’s shoulders are shaking too, so she thinks she’ll be okay.

Until she isn’t because a pack of mongrels is on her legs, teeth sinking in and she thinks one of them is hitting bone.

“I am so sorry for what I’m about to do.” she says, sees fear flash through the grumpy pug’s eyes and then her wolves are ripping dogs off of her legs. 

Dorje is the largest out of the three she has summoned, but what he lacks in speed Guadalupe makes up for. 

Guada is a lean, but equally as tall, grey wolf with piercing blue eyes, and shark-ish teeth behind a usually clamped muzzle. She chases the ninken into the ground, snarling and snapping up a storm. She then grins, dangerous and too sharp, and begins to dissolve into the ground, the earth quickly absorbing up the moisture. It’s not unlike the Hozuki’s technique, except that it’s better. She can do it with no chakra, she simply just _is_ the water. 

Suotomo is the youngest, just barely hitting 5 years old, still not fully grown, but fights like his life depends on it, even when he doesn’t need to. He’s the perfect mix of strength and speed, still lanky but strong muscles bulge under thick white fur. He’s keeping the pups and Kakashi at bay, tossing ninken by the backs of their shirts when one threatens to get too close. 

Three ninken burst from the ground, and Guadalupe comes out of it, too, howling with the thrill of the chase. The ninken are running for their lives, but she can see the grey wolf is only toying with them.

Freyja and Kakashi lock eyes, and it begins. They’re on each other almost immediately, clashing with medal and going toe-to-toe with the copy-nin, even if he gets the upper hand for a few moments. Dorje is handling the mastiff-looking ninken, while Guada and Tomo are keeping the other ninken away. 

Freyja yelps as a kunai grazes her jugular, and Kakashi stops, bouncing away from her.

“Tie?” he asks, the vision of nonchalance, and Freyja wheezes.

“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you, Hatake.” she huffs because he lungs feel like they’re collapsing in on her, and her sensei just chuckles. 

She can hear Naruto talking and cheering about something, and see Sakura walking up to her while Sasuke’s mouth twitches in something akin to a dead man’s grin.

But all she can focus on is the snarling bouncing around her head and the Seal _burns._ Teeth scrape against the inner workings of her mind and a desparred howl shakes the mindscape. 

She blinks, and realizes three sets of eyes, one blue, one orange, and one amber, are staring up at her. She frowns.

“Wolfie needs to be let loose soon.” she mutters, and the wolves cringe away from her. She says it but she never lets go of the iron grip she has on her Other. It’s a dance they go through every month or so, carefully avoiding the actual act of dancing. 

They don’t mention it again.

After training, Team 7 walks through the marketplace, heading to a ramen shop Naruto was raving about. She’s managed to beat it into Sasuke, so he’s walking with them, as well- grumbling, but walking nonetheless. 

“Freyja-senpai?” Saukra asks, eyes shining, and at the said girl’s raised brows, she sheepishly asked, “Those wolves you summoned during training, were they summons or your clan wolves?”

“Yes, Sakura-chan, they’re my clan’s calling card; a sort of mix between a summon and a ninken like the Inuzuka have. So, in simple terms, sort of.” she shrugged. 

“So, do you think… _I_ have a chance at getting a summons?” she mumbled, and Freyja hummed. 

“We’ll see, kid.” was all she said.

And they did. ‘They’ as in her and her wolves in the confines of her apartment. 

“So, Pinkie wants summons, hm?” Guada said, sprawled out over the armchair, while Tomo and Dorje were happily draped over Freyja. 

“Seems so. Sasuke seems interested, too, as for Naruto… well, we’ll just have to see.” she shrugged.

Dorje rumbled, “The panthers would be good for the Uchiha, and foxes for the Uzumaki, obviously.”

“But what about Haruno?” the youngest canine asked, and the orange eyed one shrugged.

“I honestly don’t know, Tomo.” he sighed, pawing at the younger lazily, “She seems like a dog person, but the Hatake mutt has dogs, and I don’t want our hard work going to work because everyone thinks Hatake did all the work.”

“Crows, maybe?” Freyja suggested, and Guada shook her head. 

“Those are Uchiha Itachi’s summons, I’m not fucking with those things.”

“Okay… let’s find out what her affinity is before we go jumping any guns, okay?” she said, sighing. 

“If it’s water, the crocodiles are always looking for summoners.”

“Yeah cause they’re fucking terrifying.”

“Would it be bad to suggest the snakes?”

“Yes, Freyja, it would be very bad to suggest the snakes.”

The black haired girl groaned, letting her head hit the back of the couch, “This is pointless.” she stated, and glared as the white wolf nipped her side. “I mean: this is very frustrating to me because usually things come easily to me.” 

“Good job, Freyja! That’s two points for expressing your troubles!” he yipped, and she let out a harsh breath from her nose.

Her childhood hadn’t been… nurturing. It had been training, harsh words, training, puking from the pain and overexertion, tears when she couldn’t cancel out all of her emotions like she was supposed to while having to pay the price for it, as well as little-to-no social interaction. At thirteen, she’d already managed to stifle all of her emotions into muffled noise. Now, at sixteen, her and her wolves had developed a ‘point system.’

The point system worked as such: she got two points for expressing her troubles, five points for actively expressing emotions without being forced, and so on. When she reached 120 points, she was allowed to splurge on dango.

It got annoying sometimes, but her companions hadn’t struggled to read ‘How To Help Your Child Grow Mentally’ handbooks for her to be ungrateful. 

That was a story for another day, though. 

For right now, it was a matter of finding out Sakura’s affinity. 

When Freyja nearly bounces into the clearing, Team 7 is noticeably worried. 

“Look what I brought!” the black haired girl chirps, pulling out the papers, and sees Kakashi’s less than pleased look.

“You’re kidding.” he mutters, pulling out the same sheets of paper, and Freyja hums.

“Neato, we’re on the same wavelength, Hatake.” she chirped, ignoring the silver haired man’s look of despair. 

“Who wants to go first?” 

Sasuke’s waslightning, with a weaker fire affinity (obviously, he was an Uchiha after all), Naruto’s was wind, and Sakura’s was earth and a weaker water affinity.

“Nice, my main affinity is water, but I have a slightly weaker earth affinity.” she hummed, guiding Sakura over to a spot, while Naruto and Sasuke went with Kakashi.

“We’re reversed!” the pinkette chirped, and the taller nodded.

“We are, now, for your main affinity, you really need to _feel_ the ground; become in tune with it. Imagine the dirt like a pool of water, and your metaphorical ‘hand’ is your chakra.” she explained, setting her own palm flat on the ground, and tuning into the underground.

Curious, despite her age and the fact that she should have _known better_ , she went to see how far she could go. 

She reached, feeling the earth with her chakra, and then reached some more and-

~~_Tunnels. There were so many so big so many people in the tunnels and there were so_ many _so deep so wide tunnels there were tunnels there were so many winding twisting tunnels of god how far did they go the didn’t seem to end the tunnels_ god _the tunnels there were so many the tunnelthetunnelstunnelstunnels so many god so many so so mAnY why were there so many how far did they go how-_ ~~

She’s gasps back to the real world when her back hits a tree hard enough to crack. She falls, hitting the floor as she dry heaves, shaking and sobbing. It all felt so _wrong_ why did it feel so wrong so bad so many so-

“Freyja, Freyja _look at me_ ,” Kakashi’s voice is firm, and it makes her eyes snap to his, and she decides for the second time that Hatake Kakashi feels like home; his visible eye is wide, a feral sort of protectiveness that is ready to rip everything apart. She hyper focuses on the fingers pressing into the underside of her jaw where he’s cupping her face because it’s grounding.

“What happened, Freyja?” he asks, and she lets a sob tear out her throat, her head hitting his shoulder and fingers buried in his jounin flak jacket.

“Why are there tunnels, Kakashi? Why, there’s so many and- they shouldn’t- they _shouldn’t-_ ”

She doesn’t notice when Hatake goes stock still under her. 

  
  


**_SAKURA_ **

One second Freyja is smiling and the next her face is slack, whole body trembling as she convulses. 

Sakura doesn’t think she’s known fear like this, and doesn’t exactly realize she’s calling for Kakashi until he’s beside her, asking what happened. 

“I don’t- I don’t know if she just-” she can only stare as her senpai begins to hyperventilate, and Kakashi moves onto shaking her. 

“Freyja, Freyja, listen to me, can you hear me-” he harshly barks, and just as Sakura’s wondering ‘where are her wolves?’ they’re there, knocking the silver haired man away.

“Hold him down.” Dorje snaps, and the other two do, pinning the man to the ground as he flails, and Sakura swears he’s actually _growling_ and then she’s screaming because Dorje just slung Freyja into a tree hard enough that she hears the bones crack. 

When Kakashi is holding Freyja as she sobs, Sakura finally notices she’s crying.

“Why are there tunnels, Kakashi? Why, there’s so many and- they shouldn’t- they _shouldn’t-_ ”

Kakashi is… still, and his grip tightens on the back of her head and jaw. 

“You cannot tell anyone about the tunnels, am I understood?” his voice is deathly calm and Freyja nods shakily. 

Sakura feels like that’s a turning point in their team.

She turns out to be right, because Freyja doesn’t turn up for training for the next two days, and no one tries to convince her to come.

The day they get the escort mission, Freyja is informed, and shows up the next day at the gates. 

  
  


**_FREYJA_ **

Freyja sighs as Tazuna scolds Naruto, and shares a look of suffering with Dorje. She’d needed a couple of days as to not revert to old habits, but now she was here because Tazuna smelt of deceit and if something was going to happen to her pups she was gonna be there, dammit. 

She hums in approval as she sees Sakura in pants similar to her own, but they’re a muted, diluted dark pink, and her muted red top is tight, pressing into her body tightly; the gloves that adorn her small hands have a zipper on the back and stop just below the first knuckle on her fingers. Her hair is pulled back into a tight pun, not a hair out of it. When Sakura notices her approving gaze, she preens happily and Freyja thinks she’s finally getting through to the girl.

She paused when she saw the puddle, and flicked her hand forward, which Dorje did so happily. He trotted along, sniffing and barking back to Freyja. Once Kakashi passed the puddle, the Demon Brothers jumped out, ripping ‘him’ apart. 

The kids scream, and Freyja jumps into action, quickly giving a chakra infused punch into one of the brother’s sternum, and quickly dodging a claw right after. She grunted as a fist connected with her ribs, and quickly did a few hand seals, muttering the jutsu’s name before slamming her palm into the middle of his torso, grinning as he yelped out in pain. She then made quick work of hitting pressure points, watching as the Kiri nin fell the ground in a heap.

The tall girl glanced over to where her wolf was, and rolled her eyes; Dorje had already ripped the other’s throat out, but was stumbling from the poison. 

“Talk or he eats you alive.” she snapped, kicking the paralyzed man on the ground as Kakashi appeared beside her. He spilled immediately, and Freyja hummed, glancing over at the black wolf.

“Dorje, couldn’t you have done that somewhere else?” she chiasted, and the wolf looked up from where he was eating off the corpse of the other demon brother.

“What? I’m hungry,” he complained, licking blood covered jowls, and she heard Sakura lose her lunch behind them. 

She rolled her eyes, and turned to the genin and client.

“I believe you have some explaining to do, Tazuna.” Kakashi snarked from beside her.

After an explanation of what was going on, she glanced over to the wolf, and sighed heavily when she saw him collapsed. 

“Did he get you?” she sighed, grabbing the wolf and hauling him over her shoulders with a little effort.

“Shut up before I bite you.” he slurred, as the summoner shook her head fondly. 

“Let’s get going, kids.” she muttered, pretending not to notice how the kids strayed away from her. 

After awhile, she set Dorje back down, scowling at the drying blood spot on her grey jacket, while the wolf only slightly wobbled beside her. 

She took a deep breath, nearly choking when a familiar scent flooded her nose. She and the wolf shared a look, and she held up a hand. 

“Everyone, stay here for a second, I’ll yell if I need you,” she said, as she ran ahead, Dorje not far behind her.

As she broke the clearing, all four of them sweat dropped.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” they all muttered, and Freyja hummed, looking impassively at the missing nin in the trees.

“Zabuza-san, is Haku here too?” she questioned, raising a brow, and the bandaged man groaned, jumping down and walking towards her, stopping about two arms lengths away from the girl and her wolf.

“They are, ‘Rey.” he grumbled, propping his sword on his shoulder, “What are you doing this far out? Isn’t Suna a ways away?” he questioned, eyes boring into her.

“Ah, I actually got the transfer I was telling you about.” she hummed, scratching her brow, “Say, you wouldn’t happen to be employed under Gato, would you?” 

Zabuza immediately jumped back, positioning his sword. 

“I don’t fight you, Zabuza,” she warned, reaching for her storage seal on her wrist, “But I will if prompted.” 

“I don't wanna fight you either, Haztanukai.” he said, and Freyja made an ‘ooh’ sound.

“I’d be willing for a spar, Momochi, but I got put on a genin team, and you’d never guess who my sensei is.” she drawled, giving an exasperated grin.

“The Sarutobi?” he asked, and the other scowled.

“No, I would prefer that, actually; I got Hatake Kakashi.”

“Oh, rough luck,” he hissed, putting away his sword, “I know your clan is weird about other canine affiliated.”

“Nehh, you’re right on the nail there; he tried to assert his dominance over Dorje the other day.” she gave a tired chuckle as the older barked out a mocking laugh.

“I can imagine how that shit show went.” he snarked, and she snorted, rolling her eyes at him, “Now, what did you really wanna talk about, Rey? You’re not big on small talk, unless those tree huggers have changed you that much in so little time.”

She scoffed, scrunching her nose up at the man’s question, “Not a fuckin’ chance, Bandage-Boy,” she crossed her arms over her chest, leveling him with a serious look. Instantly he straightened up, giving her his full attention as she sighed, “Gato’s not gonna pay you, and you look a little thin-”

“Speak for yourself, bitch.”

“-and I know you want to feed Haku, so help us guard Tazuna, and I’ll give you some of _my_ pay, and you can even loot Gato’s home, I won’t tell.” she said, a teasing but dangerous lilt to her tone; he hummed, and she held her breath as Zabuza looked over her critically.

Momochi Zabuza might’ve been one of her closest _Pack_ members, but she was never his closest; he cared for her, of course, but he had priorities, and Haku came first. 

And he was an S-rank missing nin, but that’s not the point. 

“Fine. We’ll give.” he grunted, and she punched her fists together.

“That’s good to hear, Zabuza-san.” she smiled, and she furrowed her brows as the taller man took a step forward, a cruel grin forming under his bandaged mouth. “What’re you- ouf!”

She grunted as her head connected with a hard chest, strong arms popping bones in her back as she slumped slightly, a breathy sigh of relief escaping her lips and the other nin manhandled her into something akin to a hug but not really.

“You look shorter than the rumors say, you need to get your back checked out.” he grunted, before releasing he from his hold. She stumbled back, giving a small shudder of pleasure from how _loose_ her back felt since the first time in forever. 

“Sure, we’ll go with that.” she grunted, popping her neck herself as a small body landed beside her. She raised a brow as Haku’s hunter-nin gear, but ultimately said nothing. 

“Hello, Freyja-san.”

“Haku-chan, it’s nice to see you again, you’ve grown tall.” she raised her brows slightly, but the child flushed as if she’d smiled. 

“Th-thank you Freyja-san.” the murmured, and gasped as Zabuza punched her bicep lightly.

“You’ve beefed up yourself, kid.” he complimented and she rolled her eyes at him, opening her mouth to retort something when Dorje bumped her side.

“Hey, Freyja, I don’t think Hatake is happy with us.” he grunted and she cursed. 

“Shit, I completely forgot about him. Come here guys!” she called, and turned back to the genin team, who was now approaching them. 

Freyja refrained from staggering, gritting her teeth as her hands began to shake, Hatake’s bloodlust hit her full force, and it was directed solely at her. She was stuck in her spot, as the silver haired man advanced on her. She lifted her chin, refusing to be cowed, until her vision was blocked by a wide back.

“Leave her alone, Hatake. She hasn’t done shit to hurt your kids, and she just convinced me not to kill all of you, show a little respect.” he growled, and the said girl stepped out from behind him, patting his bicep.

“Thank you, Zabuza-san. We met during a mission I was on from Suna, a basic guarding mission for a couple of months, and we ended up spending a lot of time together.” she breifly explained.

“You followed me around and forced me to teac-” he made a strangled noise in his throat as Freyja pinched him in his ribs. 

"I did no such thing.” she denied, not even bothering to look at the glaring man as she turned to the pups, snorting as he huffed, she dare say _pouting._ “He and Haku will be helping us out from now on. This is Momochi Zabuza, S rank missing nin of Kiri, aka the Demon of the Midden Mist and _Pack_ member. Zabuza, meet Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura.” 

“What about that one?” Haku muttered, pointing to a still fuming Hatake.

“That’s Hatake Kakashi, jounin of Konoha, certified jackass, as well as my sensei.” she said, “And that is Tazuna, our client.”

Haku nodded, bowing slightly to them, before looking back up at Freyja, “Did you learn anything new, Re-senpai?” they questioned, slipping back into their hero worship, and the girl snorted. 

“Neh, a few things. I learned how to use that katana you and Zabuza gave me.” she gazed at them impassively, grinning as they squirmed under her gaze, and then glanced over, raising a brow at Sakura’s jealous glare. “Ah, that reminds me, Haku-chan, this is Haruno Sakura, another mistreated pup taken under my care.” she grunted, dragging the pink haired girl into the conversation.

The pinkette flushed at being caught, but the ice user only hummed, “Isn’t that what you did with Zabuza-san and I?”

“It is.” she said, ignoring the man’s grumbling about ‘not being a pup.’

“You seem to to that a lot,” they said, and at Freyja’s sharp nod, turned to Sakura, “Hello Sakura-chan, it’s nice to meet you.”

She squeaked, nodding at Haku bashfully, “Ah, it’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Haku-chan.”

The other nodded as well, smiling, “I have a feeling we’ll get along just fine.”

Freyja hummed, before letting out a bark of protest as the silver haired man gripped her arm hard enough to bruise, before shunshinning away. She winced as she heard Dorje’s enraged howl from at least two miles away, but she didn’t have time to ponder on it before she was slammed into a tree, kunai brushing her neck.

“You’ve got some explaining to do, Haztanukai.” Kakashi hissed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> give me your feedback! i love hearing it!  
> haruno sakura pin board:  
> https://www.pinterest.com/sleepicide/haruno-sakura/


	3. A Wolf Is Troubled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> End of the wave arc, Freyja needs therapy, and so does Kakashi. the 'Smart Uzumaki Naruto' tag rears it's the beginnings of it's head, and, Freyja "meets" Team 8 and Team 10.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of dehumanization, panic attacks, depression, losing time, murder of children, and general violence 
> 
> \--
> 
> *i am beat with a stick*
> 
> iM sOrRy, the training scene took longer to write than i though it would :( i really hope you guys enjoy it though! please give me feedback, it fuels me!
> 
> much love,  
> carson xx

She gives a shallow breath, baring her teeth at the man before her.

“You never were a smart one were you?” Kakashi scoffed, pressing the kunai further into her throat, and she winced as it breaks skin.

“I told you, we met a couple of years ago on a guarding mission, and we ended up becoming… friends? Fuck if I know, all I know is we’re  _ Pa _ -”

“You keep saying that word but no one knows what it means!” Hatake (and we’re back to this) snaps, and she sighs as the smell of frustration mingles in with his storm-dog-blood scent.

“You had no one to teach you what  _ Pack _ was, did you?” she asks, despite the fact that she knows the kunai is digging deeper into her throat, she can’t feel it anyways.

“Shut up.” he snarls, alleviating some of the pressure, and she breathes freely again.

“They’re going to be mad.” is all she says as she watches his eye trail the blood running down her neck. 

“Who? Your missing nins?” he asked, and she shook her head slightly.

“Not just them, my wolves, the kids. They’re going to be mad at you, and who is to blame?” she muttered, and Hatake lets her off of the tree. 

He glares at her, studying her for what seems like hours. “Can I trust you?” he says, eye narrowed and cold.

_ ‘In what sense? The sense of the wolf or the sense of a shinobi?’ _ she wants to ask,  _ ‘where does my trust fall into your life?’  _

“I can’t make you.” is what she says.

The look it gains her tells her that was the wrong answer. 

When they get back to the group, Zabuza looks ready to tear Hatake apart, limb from fucking  _ limb. _

“What the fuck was that about?” he hisses, fury blazing in his eyes as he manhandles Freyja to his side, nearly jumping the silver haired man right there once he noticed the wound on her neck.

“Don’t worry about it, Zabuza I can’t feel it anyways.” she grunted, wiping at the shallow wound.

“You and your fucking pain tolerance.” he hisses, dark eyes swirling with hidden concern. 

“Stop being such a pansy, Zabu, I’m fine.” 

“Didn’t you say that when you almost died that time, too?” Haku asked, and she groaned.

“Not the time, Haku.” and she slumped, because all of a sudden she was  _ tired _ . She was so tired of being betrayed and almost dying for people who wouldn’t for her.

_ “Your heart's too big, _ ” her mother had muttered, calloused thumb brushing down the bridge of her seven-year-old nose,  _ “Too loving as a shinobi; as a Haztanukai.” _

Freyja pushes the memory away, because her mother had been murdered in front of her a few moments later.

Zabuza keeps her within arms length the rest of their travel, eyes glued to Hatake like he’d snatch her away and gobble her up at any moment. He snarls when she slumps against him, but does not move. Haku giggles, and with a flutter of their eyelashes collapses against her side, but she barely blinks.

_ “Losing time.” _ her aunt had told her, chopping vegetables,  _ “You block everyone out and lose time, you block it out so you don’t have to see their eyes, the weight of their expectations.” _

When she finally becomes a person again-- because god, she was, wasn’t she? --they’re in Tazuna’s house.

Zabuza is familiar with her bouts of lost time, of days where she would not speak, but would go through the motions. Haku is too, even if they are confused sometimes, but they are familiar.

The kids and Hatake are not.

“Are you okay, Freyja?” Sakura asks, and she has to blink and replay the question because is she? When has she been okay? Oh gods she’s never been okay, forced into a life she didn’t-

A rough jab knocks her out of her spiral, and she immediately nods, “Yeah I’m good.”

The pinkette looks unconvinced, but when she goes to speak again the older missing nin groans. 

“Come here, Freyja.” he nearly growls, manhandling her (again) outside and to the back. He pretends not to notice one of Hatake’s clones following them, and so does she.

Once they’re a decent ways away, his large hands grab hold of the sides of her face, not really enough to hurt, but just enough to ground her in that moment.

“Listen, brat, you’re gonna get yourself killed if you don't get your head in the game.” he snaps, scanning her face, but she just blinks. “You’re a person,  _ you are a person. _ You are someone, you have saved lives, you are a good person. Do not let it be your mind the death of you.”

But she just frowned, and then her face is being shoved into the crook of his neck and she sinks so wholly into the warmth that is  _ Zabuza. _

It’s rain and bitter water and blood, it is humid air and it is  _ Pack. _

Her Inner Wolf and canine instincts calm and allow her to breathe for the first time since Hatake had grabbed her. His hand moved to the back of her head, it’s weight holding her there, and she lets go.   
  


**_HATAKE_ **

The second Zabuza had put his hands on her face, Kakashi had body flickered to their position, chakra brimming with rage and anger. 

The man doesn’t even look at him as he lets her scent him, doesn’t until Freyja’s breaths are deep and drawn out, having fallen into a deep meditative state from the pure calm she was feeling from scenting trusted  _ Pack _ member.

_‘That should be us!’_ something primal snarls in the silver haired man’s chest, teeth scraping his ribs, _‘We_ _should be her_ Pack _, not him! Kill him killkillhIMkill him he’s taking her!’_

But that fault is no one’s but Kakashi’s. He felt more than saw the trust shatter when he grabbed her. It was his and his alone. 

“Why.” is all he gets out, and the missing nin looks at the Hatake and his breath nearly hitches, because Momochi Zabuza, Demon of The Hidden Mist, almost looks… sad. 

“She’s a good kid,” he rasps out, “But was always odd. Too distant. When I met her, she was a  _ shell, _ she wasn't even, dare I say, a person. If there is ever a clan I’d hope to see rot before my own eyes, it’d be hers. Barbaric bastards.

“So I took her in, took her under my wing and let her flourish along with Haku. She became a person again, she had interests, hobbies, she’s my finest work yet.” the bitter smile he’s wearing doesn’t even need to be that wide to be seen, he can  _ feel _ it.

“You, Hatake, are _ ruining _ my work. You keep fucking up, and it’s a miricale Dorje hasn’t mauled you yet. You’re not a sensei, you are a thinly veiled child in a man’s body,  _ grow up.”  _ he snarls, and detaches Freyja from his neck.

She gasps, like she’s coming up from water, and looks more alive than she has since he dragged her into the woods and bared his teeth in her face.

Hatake Kakashi doesn’t know how to feel.

The next two days are spent by them goofing around, mostly, but they train a little, too. They wander farther from the bridge builder’s house, with the wolves and ninken keeping watch, all because Freyja and Zabuza are about to spar.

“Are you ready, Momochi?” she sneers, eyes twinkling and seems to grow more elated when the other nin snorts.

“Haztanukai, I’m gonna clean my walls with your blood.”

“That’s counter productive.” Haku points out, and the two just spare exasperated looks of fondness for the blunt child

“No holding back?”

“Hn.”

And they leap, and he considers revealing his sharingan to watch what is going on, because they both fight with an ease of feralness that makes that primal part of Kakashi  _ sing. _

Zabuza isn’t using Kubikiribōchō **,** but instead a simple tanto, and they soon see why as Freyja slices through it with one of her newly summoned water blades.

“You’re a fool, Momochi.”

“Oh, but am I?” he snarks, and the genin curses as she gets trapped in the water prison. She snarled from inside of it, glaring at the victorious male. “I wi-”

He huffs out harshly as a shadow clone gets him in the shoulder quickly, making him release the jutsu. The girl shakes off the water like a dog, and yips as they are back on each other, nicks and cuts appearing. After a couple of minutes, they both come to a standstill, panting and feral grins still slapped on their faces, a lighter air around them.

Sakura is the first to barrel into Freyja’s side, asking how she moved so quickly, what were the blades, she wants to know it all, like a sponge to water. Naruto is the second, Sasuke is dragged behind him and Haku just giggles like this was a normal occurrence.

It probably was. Kakashi hates it.

As it turns out, Kakashi hates a lot of things; he hates how familiar Zabuza and Freyja are, how close she is with the pups already, how she smiles so easily even though Kakashi can practically see the blood dripping off of her hands, how she came onto this team and made it her own. How she can just shove Zabuza around and he takes it in stride; how Zabuza’s eyes soften when she throws her head back and laughs, how Haku looks up at her with stars in their eyes. Kakashi  _ hates. _

A part of Kakashi screams ‘ _ she is not one of us! rid of her! _ ’ and another part sobs ‘ _ gods can’t you see her pain? why will you not let her in? _ ’

He swats them both away.

It all goes to shit when the group (minus Freyja, and  _ that should’ve been the first sign _ ) go to the bridge; Zabuza is quiet, grunts in amusement as Sasuke and Naruto bicker, Sakura piping in with a logistical fact of why they’re both wrong and then Haku comes in with another reason why all of them could be right.

He smells it before he sees; blood, so much blood. Zabuza is the second one, and the slightly horrified expression on his face isn’t reassuring.

“No…” he breathes, before he’s chakra sprinting to the bridge, and the rest of them are right behind him.

It looks like a nightmare scene: Freyja is standing, just barely, circled by around 8 professional looking men, and then there’s a group of thugs backing them. Most of the hired nin are either wounded or panting, but nothing compared to the nearly dead-on-her-feet genin.

The tall girl was heaving, and the wounds he could see were bad, but she was sneering at the men like it was nothing.

“My dead mom hits better than you guys do, it’s path-” she winces as a kuni digs itself a home in her abdomen, “-etic.” 

“Freyja!” Haku yells, already bursting into action. Zabuza is quick to follow his apprentice, and the silver haired man turns to his other genin.

“Protect the bridge builder.” is what he snarls, and when he jumps into the frey, they’ve moved into formation.

The black haired girl manages a snort, despite the blood spilling out her nose and mouth, “Barking orders even now, the ANBU really know how to beat things into a man.” and then she’s lunging with blades in her hands at a nin and he pushes the thought of  _ ‘how does she know? _ ’ away cause fuck that’s a new gash on his leg. 

It’s ruthless, and the pace of the battle just keeps picking up, and the continuous  _ ‘thud! _ ’ of bodies hitting the bridge tunes out until Sakura’s loud scream accompanies it.

He snatches his kunai out the neck of a thug and turns around, and has to take a moment to get his thoughts in a line.

Freyja is laying on the bridge.

Freyja is not breathing.

Four things happen at once: one, Zabuza kills three nin on the spot. Two, Sasuke unlocks his sharingan, three, Naruto’s demon fox chakra is surrounding him, and four, the wolves are on the bridge suddenly. 

Guadalupe is standing over her, snarling while Dorje and Suotomo and ripping apart thugs and nin alike. 

There’s a gasp and distantly he knows Freyja is breathing again but he’s focused on not dying. Haku’s got the remainder of the real threats in their ice mirrors, so taking down the remainder of the thugs in easy work. 

Once they’re all dead, he lets out a breath, gazing quietly at the small crowd around the oldest genin (cause  _ fuck _ she’s a genin how did he forget that?).

“Fuck that hurts,” she hisses, pressing against a wound in her stomach, and he heard Naruto gag because he could  _ see _ inside the wound, and there was white. 

“We’d have died by now.” is all Haku says, reaching out a small hand and hovering it over the gash, beginning to heal it. At everyone’s silence, they further explain, “The Haztanukai’s are genetically modified to be almost detached from their nervous system, so they do not feel pain unless it is very extreme. In these cases, most bodies would have panicked from the pain, causing the blood to pump faster, and therefore lose it faster. Freyja not feeling pain has helped her numerous times as not to die.” 

“The more you know.” the said girl grumbled, breathing a bit easier now that the worst of her injuries were healed.

“They’re your teammates, they should know all they can in order to help you Freyja.” the ice user hummed, as they helped her sit up.

“Sasuke, you should turn off your eyes as to conserve your chakra, okay? I’m proud of you.” she huffs, reaching out a hand to Zabuza to help her up. 

Kakashi moves first, hauling the darker skinned genin to her feet. 

“Be careful, that was a close one.” he grunts, and she just grins, tired and bloodied, both ignoring how Zabuza nearly snarls beside them.

“I’m too insufferable to die, the shinigami doesn’t even want me.” she drawled, supporting herself on the Uchiha’s shoulders. The other black haired genin looked appalled at her statement.

“You’re not insufferable, don’t say that about you-” he blurted, before flushing, “I mean, you’re not  _ as _ insufferable as those two.” he grunted, and his other two teammates let out noises of complaint, but ultimately were ignored.

Kakashi thinks that maybe he ‘hates’ too much.

Zabuza and Haku leave the next morning, reeking of blood, and they have no more troubles on their way back. Freyja was left a storage scroll by them that she refused to open in Wave, since she wanted to open it in Konoha.

When they arrive, she’s groaning in pain, being supported by Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto, despite pouting and whining about it, knows he’s too small to truly support her.

“Holy shit, what happened to her?” Izumo asks, and the girl just glares at him and bares her teeth in the reminets of a smile. 

“I saw death and it ran like a bitch with its tail between its legs.”

Izumo doesn’t ask again.

They take a two day break, and then they’re back to training. ‘Them’ as in Freja sits and watches because her wounds still pain her.

“Hey, Frey?” Naruto calls out, tilting his head. 

“What, Naru?”

“Our hand seals… they kinda reflect how our chakra moves, right?”

“Yes, why?” she asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.

“Well, then does that mean if I just shape my chakra like that, I don’t have to use the hand seals? Cause like, what if your hands are full? Or injured? Then what do you do?”

Freyja is sitting there, blinking slowly, and Kakashi can  _ see _ her working through the mental math of it all, the twitch of her brow, the slightly scrunch on her nose. After a few minutes, when Naruto is yelling at Sasuke, she nods.

“Yeah, you’d just have to have really good chakra control to make it do that. Sakura probably could, and maybe Sasuke, but you… I suppose you could, in theory.” she mumbles, chewing on her lip. 

She tries it herself, and blinks in surprise when a slow moving water blade forms in her hands, and the blond boy looks elated. 

“Nice one, Naruto.” she drawls, as he shouts, excited and confident. 

It makes him smile. 

He’s excited to see how Naruto will use this to his advantage.   
  


**_FREYJA_ **

Stepping into the clearing Freyja notices three things: one, more people are here than usual, two, another canine affiliated is here, and three, there is a horrible citrus scent wafting towards her from this rather reasonable distance.

Now, this usually wouldn’t be a big deal, but she’s having sensory overload problems today, she’s still twitchy from the bridge incident; something inside her  _ roars, _ and that honestly settles it.

She barely hides her gag, swiping a chakra infused finger under her nose as she snarls, stalking into the clearing.

“Oh shit.” one of the senseis mutter, and Sasuke groans. 

“We don’t have  _ time _ for this Freyja, come here.” he snaps, making her huff, but like a scolded dog, slinks over to their five man cell. 

“Now that all of us are here,” the red eyed woman says, obviously displeased with her minor lateness, “This is gonna be a team building exercise, as well as gauging your and your fellow genin’s skill level. No lethal force, and nothing that will cause lasting damage, or anything that’s career ending. Your objective is to get these scrolls from each respective team.”

She tosses them small scrolls, grinning at what Freyja assumes is her team with confidence you can’t fake.

“You have an hour, okay? Make ‘em count.” the man who smelled so strongly of smoke it nearly made her choke said, glancing at her sensei, who was reading his porn. 

“Maa, maa, I’ve already told you, there’s no reason to do this.” he hummed, not even glancing up from his book.

“Oh yeah? Explain.” the woman said, setting hands on wide hips, and Hatake simply shrugs. 

“Cause my kids are gonna win, easy peasy.” he eye-smiles, before looking up, “Go.”

Team 7 jumps to the west, the team with the canine affiliated takes the North, and Citrus’ team takes east. 

When they’re perched up in the trees, she smirks, “Okay, so give me a quick run down on the teams, quick. Time is the essence here.” Sakura nods, going into her Professional voice.

“Team 8 has an Inuzuka, an Aburame, and a Hyuga, they’re a tracking team. Team 10 is an intelligence team, a Yamanaka, a Nara, and an Akimichi. I say we go after Team 8 first, if Shino gets his bugs out, along with Hinata’s byakugan? We won’t stand a chance.”

“Good job, Sak. Here’s the plan: I’ll go after the Inuzuka, Sasuke goes after the Aburame, and Sakura and Naruto deal with the Hyuga, after that, we go after the intelligence team. Got it?” she said, quickly making eye contact with the three of them.

Sasuke smirked, full and cocky, while Naruto hit his fist against his palm, “Let’s do it!”

_ ‘Ah,’ _ she thought, smiling fondly,  _ ‘My little pups are growing into big wolves now.’ _

She stands, wiping her thumb back under her nose, taking a moment to reorient herself with all the stronger smells hitting her so quickly. Once she’s not in danger of toppling over, she jumped, chakra fueling her steps as she did so, the pups quick behind her. 

She grinned, smelling Hatake just up a ways. She said as much, hearing her pink haired teammate sigh.

“God what a useful skill.” she muttered, and the Uchiha snorted. 

“No kidding.” 

They passed by the silver haired man with a nod, and she could practically smell his displeasure at being found out. 

After about ten minutes, they started coming up on the other team of genin. She heard the dog bark quietly, the bugs begin to buzz, smelt their scents shift. 

She took a breath, and she lunged out of the tree line.

The dog boy yelped, barely rolling out of the way of her landing. She grinned, feral and excited. 

~~_ -‘Kill them,’  _ it growled, voice feral and raw, soaked in anger forged by wrong doings and hate,  _ ‘kill them and make your mark, show them who’s the Alpha here, Freyja.’- _ ~~

“So, boy, ready to eat dirt?” the dark skinned girl said, a sneer on her lip.

“Hmph, I could say the same for you.” he snarks, and she rolled her eyes, before closing them.

A pulse of chakra later, and she opens them as she twists to the side, dodging the other’s own lunge. 

It was a quick back and forth after that, trading blows on both sides, although the Inuzuka was taking the worse end of it. She barely even blinked as she twirled out of the way of his puppy, raising an unimpressed brow.

“You call that a ninken?” she drawls, quickly growing bored of this squabble, grinning as the boy scoffs.

“How would you know, you don’t even have one.” he quipps, and she hums, shooting chakra into three of the tattooed seals. 

“You’re right, I have more.” the ultimate look of shock, horror, and amazement the hooded boy gave her was one she’d cherish forever.

Dorje wastes no time pinning the puppy, who’s barely a tenth of his size, under a paw; not crushing him, just holding him still.

She takes the boy’s moment of bewilderment and punches him in the gut, before kicking him in the ribs. It knocks the breath right out of him, and gives her the opening to drive her fingertips into his pressure point, causing him to crumble underneath them. The ninken whines pitifully, and she quickly tensed her body, stopping it from delivering the final blow from muscle memory. 

~~_ -it’s not her first kill and it won’t be her last she has on a mask a mask in the shape of a wolf the Special Ops gear is so heavy heavy weighing down on her shoulders heavy like the boys eyelids heavy heavy  _ **_heavy_ ** _ he’s dead and he is no older than 12 he’s younger than her by a year brown hair hair with curls he is a child and she feels nothing-  _ ~~

She glanced over at where Sasuke was being slowly overwhelmed by the Aburame, and she rolled her eyes, would it kill the Uchiha to ask for help sometimes? Suotomo yips, as if reading her mind, and bounds off to said boy.

He braces himself, flattens his already small ears flat against his head, “Get ready, Aburame; Sound Style: Unhinged Scream!” 

He proceeds to unlock his jaw like a snake, before nearly ear shattering scream rips out of his throat. The boy covers his ears, and his bugs hover for a moment, before hitting the floor; they’re alive, but momentarily stunned. 

Once the other brown haired boy slaps his hands over his ears, pressing so hard she thought the lgs of his glasses would snap, she quickly moves, a chakra infused elbow to the back of his head. He crumples, too, like wet mud. 

Hinata went down quickly after, and Freyja smirked, feral and victorious as her instincts sang, knowing she protected well.

She tracks the scents in the air to a nearby tree, waving brightly as Naruto loots the Hyuga girl for her scroll, giving something close to a prideful yip. Yeah, fox summons are definitely the way to go. 

She smells them before she sees them, the citrus paining her nose as she turns, tilting her head. She barks out a cruel laugh when the girl comes straight towards her, feral snarl blooming on her face. 

“That’s a dirty trick, Nara!” she calls, but she doesn’t really mind, because she’s going to  _ crush _ this kid-

“Mind Possession Jutsu!”

_ She grunted, knees hitting the snow of her mindscape roughly. She flexed her fingers, grinning lightly. Oh, this poor girl. _

_ The platinum blonde smirked down at her, as she could feel her body moving, reaching for something.  _

_ “Sorry,” she humped, looking at her nails, “I win, you lose.”  _

_ A snarl rattled the ground, and they looked to the sketchy figure of the wolf, pacing behind the bars in a cave. Its lips pull back in an ugly snarl, baring stained teeth. _

_ The girl doesn’t even flinch, “He can’t get out, don’t worry, not unless I want him to. So I’d suggest you get outta my head, girlie, cause he isn’t the nice type.”  _

_ As if to prove her point, his jars clamp down on the bars with an eerie creak. The Yamanaka, shaking and mouth agape, is taken so off guard that it allowed Freyja to forcefully shove her out of her mind.  _

The girls gasped, as the blonde looked at her, “What the fuck was that?” she hissed, and the taller shrugged, stalking towards her closely. 

She tries to scramble up, but the other merely snarls, swiping her legs back out from under her, before placing her foot on top of her head, grinding her face into the dirt. 

The Yamanaka grunt, and as she looks at her from the corner of her eye, her breath hitches, and the Haztanukai smells her pheromones spike. For her sake, she’ll pretend not to notice. 

“Sorry, Citrus, but you have to go to sleep now.” she mutters, before retracting her foot and giving her a swift kick to the back of the head.

She goes to search for the scroll, and realizes she can’t. A small smirk curls on her face, as she glances down; Shadow Possession, damn Nara’s. 

“I’d ask what gotten Ino so shaken up, but that seems so troublesome.” the boy behind her drawls, and she hums. 

“Not like I’d tell you anyways. It’s in your best interest to let go of me, though, because the wolves don’t play nice.” 

The said canines are taught as a bowstring, teeth bared threateningly. She can hear him sigh, and before he can get the first syllable of ‘no’ out, Guada pounces, forcing him to break it. 

Freyja turns around, throwing a barrage of shuriken and kunai, forcing him to move left to dodge it, and sending him right into Dorje’s path. The ponytailed boy cries out as he latches onto his leg, barely hard enough to pierce the skin. He yanked his leg out from under him, and she holds him down, a dull kunai pressed against his throat.

“Who’s got the scroll, pretty boy?” the younger flushes at the comment, but he’s scowling. Sometimes Freyja hated being pretty, but that was a whole other ordeal. 

“Like I would tell you.” is his bitten out response, and she just shrugs, looking at the shark toothed wolf.

“Search them. Be careful though, your teeth near veins never ends well.” Freyja drawled, smelling the panic that immediately started to stain the boy’s scent. 

“I’ve got it.” 

She smiled, the one with a few too teeth that was bordering on unnerving, and almost looked like a snarl. 

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” she digs around his pockets, pulling out the scroll.

“Team 7 wins!” the smoker bellowed through the clearing, as the three sensei’s jumped down.

She could smell Hatake’s smug pride, could feel it in his bubbling chakra that extended to all of his genin except her, just like the way his arms were as the younger three of Team 7 rushed up to him, all bright smiles and goofy laughter.

Not for the first time in her life, or the last, Freyja was excluded by the white haired man.

_ ‘And _ ,’ she thought with a smile, eyes soft as she soaked in her pup’s expression, her  _ Pack’s _ expression,  _ ‘that’s alright, because they’re happy.’ _


	4. A Wolf's Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freyja runs into a 'rival', there's talk of summons, we learn about the Haztanukai clan, and face an old enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its been awhile!!! really sorry abt not updating this for so long,but i kinnddda got into bnha, and i am also working on an update for 'long teeth, strong jaw'!!  
> hope u guys enjoy this chapter!!
> 
> much love,   
> carson xx

Freyja sits, twirling a shuriken around her finger as Naruto and Sasuke sparred, he was improving greatly, she was so proud.

“Hey, boss.” Guada said, summoning herself on the branch next to the dark skinned woman, “The foxes got back to us, if you want to broach that subject.”

“Foxes?” Naruto asked, grunting as he was socked in the jaw and sent tumbling, before holding up a hand, “What about foxes?”

At the boys' words, both Sasuke and Sakura looked up at her, Sakura frowning from where she was sharpening her kunai. She was building muscle, and putting some meat on her bones, it made the older genin’s heart sing and her Inner Wolf snarl with victory. 

“Fox summons, Naru,” the said genin hummed, flicking the shuriken off her finger and into a tree, pinning a falling leaf, “If you want them, they’re willing to have you.”

“Naruto gets summons?” Sakura and Sasuke asked, both tones holding hints of dejection.

“Don’t worry, you two, yours are coming.” she said, grinning as she looked at her pinkette in particular.

She wasn’t exactly positive, but she’s pretty sure the clan wolves would be a great fit for her, but she had to get through the elders, and to her brother in the Main Compound, and through her father, though he was the smallest problem.

“What summons am I getting?” the ravenette asked, and she glanced at the wolf.

“If all goes well, and Haru isn’t a little bitch about it, panthers.” the white wolf said, idly examining her paw, scowling as she realized one of her claws were chipping. 

“And mine?” Sakura asked, tilting her head, and Freyja sighed.

“Yours are… going to take the longest to not only get permission to give you, but for you to obtain in general. Once I get confirmation for it, I’ll tell you, okay? Let’s just say, yours are probably going to shock you.”

The Uchiha looked between her and the wolves, before raising a brow in question. She merely nodded, and he nodded back. Good. 

“Ah, my cute little genin!” Hatake’s voice rang through the clearing. She realized he was holding a mission’s scroll, and sighed, man, they couldn’t catch a break with this guy. 

“What’s in the scroll, sensei?”she asked, bored eyes slowly dragging to meet his, and she could feel his irritation spike. 

“A mission! A C-rank in a nearby town. Get your things, we’re leaving in the morning.” he said, before poofing away. She let out her own growl of annoyance, before huffing.

“Alright alright alright!” she said, standing on a branch, “So here’s what’s going to happen: I’m going to send a wolf home with you to help you pack, and get all the important things, and make sure you don’t under or overpack, okay guys?”

Even though she’s pretty sure Sasuke is pouting about it, they nod. Guada hops down and saddles up beside Sakura, nuzzling her cheek lightly. She summons the other two, the black wolf immediately trotting up to the Uchiha and licking his hair, while Suotomo takes Naruto.

“Alright then! Behave yourself kids!” she chirps, jumping off the branch and walking home, whistling as she walks. She waved to different jounin and chunin, even some of the genin wandering around.

And that's when she saw him. 

Now, don’t get her wrong, she was only nice to the little Hyuga girl because she obviously had no idea who Freyja was, or the clan she was an heir to, and personally didn’t actively care for the Haztanukai-Hyuga grudge unless she was came after first, as she didn’t care for peer pressure from dead people all that much. This boy apparently did, because he was stalking towards her like a man on a mission.

“Mutt.” he snarled, lilac eyes pulsing, and she snarked right back at him, folding her arms across her chest.

“Inbreeder.” she shoots back, squaring her shoulders as she peered down at him.

“Low life.”

“Good for nothing.”

“Disgrace.”

_ “Branch member,”  _ was apparently the straw that broke the camel’s back, as the long haired male lunged at her, only to be held back by a black haired man in a green jumpsuit.

“Neji! Be kind to your peers, our dear Freyja here is in her springtime of youth!” the man cried, and she scoffed.

“Springtime of youth my ass, my bones are aching.” she gave a glare to the Hyuga, “I’d say be more like your cousin, but she was too quiet for my tastes. You know us Haztanukai’s.” she waved her hand, and the boy dug his nails into his palms.

“Yeah, you’re fucking murders, you  _ teammate killer!”  _ he spat, and she let a vicious snarl rip from the back of her throat.

“Look here you inbred  _ bastard- _ ” a hand hovering just above her shoulder stops her, and she swallows uncomfortably, standing up straight.

“Ah! Kakashi, my youthful rival! Care for a challenge?”

“Maa, not today, Gai, I just came to get my student here, I’m sorry for her to have bothered your genin.” she grits her teeth, staring down at the floor in rage,  _ she didn’t even start it. _

“You’re mistaken, Kakashi! Neji is the one who started it, not your youthful student!” Gai laughs, but the slight tremor of her hands undoubtedly doesn’t skip past the two.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have to go pack for our mission.” her voice is strained, and she briskly walks away, fighting at the tears gathering in her eyes.

She didn’t notice Hyuga Neji’s eyes still locked on her, swirling with confusion.

When she gets to her apartment, she activates the silencing seals, and screams, loud and unashamed, all of her rage and fury being poured into it until her throat is hoarse. Her hands shake and itch to tear into something, anything.

But instead, she sits idle, crumbling onto her knees and fists her hands in her hair, jaw clenched so tightly shut it ached. She took a deep breath, and stood. 

Freyja packed her bags easily, in a methodical way, falling back into a familiar rhythm. Her steps made no noise, she barely breathed. 

Once she had packed, she let out a deep, shuddering breath.

~~ Teammate Killer, Teammate Killer, Teammate Killer, Killer, KillerKille _rKillerKi_ ~~

She pinched the skin of her wrist under her bandages, the marred, mangled skin sitting as a reminder of her sins, of her failures.

She would not fail again.

The wolves didn’t return for hours, leaving her time to contemplate and calm herself. She laid on her bed as she heard them pad into the apartment, claws lightly rapping on the floor as they made their way to her room.

“Did something happen, Frey?” Dorje asked, his voice unusually soft for the summon. With a quiet voice, she explained what happened earlier that day, and claws dug into her stomach. The prodding feeling is comforting.

“Why can’t I be loved?” she murmured, no tears in her eyes. Her chest ached with an empty feeling, before it washed over with a calm numb. That wasn’t good, no matter how nice it felt to be detached from her emotions.

“It’s not that you can’t be loved,” Guada hums, cool fur brushing against her cheeks, “It’s that he refuses to see that you can.”

She holds that thought close to her chest.

She hummed softly as she trekked towards the gate, grinning toothily at her teammates, “Yo. Hatake here yet?” she asked, despite the fact that she didn't see or smell him. Naruto and Sasuke were arguing, and her protege looked relieved to see her.

“No, it’ll probably be another 15 minutes before he is.” Sakura chirped, saddling up beside the taller genin. The pinkette had on a cute, sleeveless turtleneck red cropped top, with mesh covered the areas that her shirt didn’t. She wore black pants this time, with the standard shinobi sandals. 

“Oh look at you! Looking just like a real kunoichi. I feel like a proud parent.” she chuckled, ruffling her hair. “I like your hair down, it’s cute.”

“But it's not practical. Once I’m strong enough to wear my hair down, I will. I lost my hair ties though, do you have any I could use?” she huffed, only to squeak as she was turned around.

“Be still.” she grumbled, fishing her metal hair ‘ties’ out her bag, “These are infused with Dorje’s lightning, so if anyone grabs them, they’re in for a surprise.” she talked her way through as she quickly and efficiently tied her hair into two buns, before stabbing two sebon through each of them. “If they try to grab you like that, either, they’ll be stabbed by the sebon.” 

She looked up from the sea of pink, blinking owlishly at the two starstruck children, “What?”

“How did you do that, Frey?! That’s so cool! You did it in like, less than 15 seconds!” Naruto said, bounding up and looking at the buns curiously. Sasuke looked curious, too, if a little downtrodden as well.

“A lot of practice. I’ve always worn my hair in buns, so.” she shrugged, turning as their sensei approached the group, “Aye, Hatake-sensei, ready to head out?” she stuffed her hands in her pockets, letting an easy mask of indifference fall over her emotions.

“Maa, of course I am, Freyja-chan.” he said, and she gritted her teeth, canines grinding together harshly.

“Then we should head out.” Sakura said, gently patting the older genin’s arm. 

Travelling was always entertaining with the brats, especially with Sasuke’s tsundere attitude. 

“Sasu! Don’t wound me like this!” she chuckled as she weakly threw an arm around him, snickering as he shrugged it off grumpily. 

“I said stop calling me that.” he growled, sulking as he walked a little further ahead. 

With a soft chuckle, she did as she was asked, taking a deep breath. Thankfully, no foriegn scents were up ahead. 

“Frey-chan, could you tell us a little more about your clan?” Naruto asked, looking up at her.

“Sure, Naru. My clan was actually made to be a ‘war clan,’ to be frontline fighters. We’re trained from a young age to be a power of brute force, tearing through enemies with little to no mercy. You may say barbaric and traumatizing,  _ I  _ say spicy childhood.” she grinned, snickering at the worried looks on their faces, “Anyways, there’s a lot of us, and very few who don’t end up being ninja. Mainly it’s so that we’re practically disposable, which… is disturbing to think about, but I try not to focus on that.

“Our clan wolves are like a calling card of ours, and it’s a crime punishable by death to kill them for their fur, or to kidnap them, as we’re bonded for life. This fact is cemented by the tattoo seals on our bodies. I genuinely don’t know what I would do without my four troublemakers. Our clan compound is located in Suna, as we do like to sunbathe quite a lot- don’t get me wrong, it’s great to sunbathe here, too, but there’s just something about lounging on a rock in the desert.” she shrugged, ruffling the blond’s hair, “I guess I’ll just have to take you three to see it someday.”

“Sounds fun!” Naruto smiled, turning to Sakura, “Doesn’t it?!” 

“It does sound rather enjoyable.” she mused, “I’ve never been to Suna before.”

“Freyja,” Sasuke said, dark eyes peering at her curiously, “You said 'four troublemakers,' but we’ve only seen three.”

“Oh, that.” she hummed, “Kin’s seal is rather unstable at this point. Ever since my arms were charred, which is where his seal was, summoning him has been a hit or miss thing. He’s pretty pissy, but he’s a good tenet. He allows me control over metal, something only two wolves in my clan have  _ ever _ specialized in.”

“Could I learn it?” he asked, and she shrugged.

“You’ll have to ask him, if he ever comes out.”

She glanced at where the seal used to sit, the faint glow flickering weakly. He’d come out, she refused to leave him to rot.

“Your clan really is amazing, Freyja-chan.” Hatake chipped in, and she merely grinned bitterly.

“Please, feel free to stop by and say hello to my father, you’d get along swimmingly.” 

The irritated twitch of the silver-haired man’s lip gives her no small amount of satisfaction.

When they reach the destination, she grins easily at the shop owners, having been here previously with Team 4. They didn't say long, as it was just a rest stop, but it was a cute, quaint little town.

“Now, we’ll be guarding a merchant on the way to the next town over.” Hatake said, eye-smiling at said merchant. He was a short and stout man, but he was well dressed, and well versed in clans as well.

“Ho-ho-ho! Three clan heirs to protect me? Now  _ that’s  _ lovely.” he said, eyeing her markings a bit warily. 

The perfect black dots were a bit hard to see on her dark skin sometimes, but you couldn’t just not see them at any point. They lined her hip bones and midriff, as well as her spine.

The dots weren’t common in her clan, they mainly only appeared in the main bloodline, but no one had seen as many as she had in ages. Her mother had teased her that it made her all the more special as she lightly tapped the colon-aligned dots that rested under her eyes.

“Yup. Best of the best.” she drawled, canines poking out of her mouth slightly.

“Alright, let’s go kids!” 

  
  


Surprisingly enough, the mission goes well. Unsurprisingly,  _ something _ goes wrong.

They settle down for the night, and Freyja takes a second watch. She's hypervigilant, Dorje making ritual paces around the camp. 

But it still happens.

She takes a breath, and before she’s even fully registered the smells, Freyja has whipped around, hands trembling as she stares into familiar eyes.

“You.” she hisses, as Dorje begins growling, fuck fuck  _ fuck  _ please no again. Her pulse starts to race, pupils dilating in fear. The woman seems amused by it all, a playful tilt to her lips.

“Me. My, my, cousin, moving on so quickly?” the lighter skinned woman pouts. She’d always rubbed Freyja wring, even before she went rouge.

Nina had always been more conventionally attractive, fairer skin with no dots marring her skin. A perfect hourglass figure, long lashes and the perfect face. 

But it had never fooled her, the cold look in her eye and the vile smiles had always rubbed her wrong.

The darker skinned girl growled, Dorje couldn’t do anything without possibly endangering the  _ Pack _ in the process . They were pinned.

“Shut up, you mutt.” she snapped, only growing more furious with blind rage as the woman  _ giggled _ at her.

“Aw, that's no way to treat me, don’t you harbor any love for me?” Nina pouted, before glancing at the sleeping genin, “I’d suppose not, seeing as you moved on from  _ them _ so quickly. What a shame, they look kinda cute, too; maybe stitches can be an ongoing theme?”

She channels her chakra through her body and pushes out more fear pheromones than strictly necessary. She feels more than sees Hatake wake up, but he doesn’t move, likely assessing the situation.

“I’m not afraid of you anymore!” she barks, shoving false confidence into her words despite how they waver and how her hands tremble.

“What makes you sure?” she hums, before giving a good, long look at her team. Sasuke’s sharingans swirl back at her, as well as Sakura and Naruto’s cold eyes. Finally, they land on her sensei, who stares back.

“Fuck, the Copy Nin.” Nina swears, taking a step back. Dorje lunges, teeth sinking into her side as Guada materializes beside him, easily fusing herself into her skin.

“I’m not afraid anymore. What makes me sure?” she asks, eyes aflame with anger staring down at the woman as the water-based spirit began cutting off chakra ways and nerves. A cruel smile plays on her lips, “They're all I need.”

“Forget about it, they’ll hate you once they know!” Nina roared, smaller canines glinting in the light.

“Know what?” Sasuke asked, furrowing his brows as the older woman grinned manically.

“That she killed her team! She sat back and let them be slaughtered like-“ she grimaced in pain as her nose began to bleed, “-like pigs!”

“That’s not what happened and you know it.” she snarled, recalling Guada and Dorje back into their seals. More painful than it had to be, but she didn't care, couldn’t find it in her to feel bad about it. “Father’s been hunting your head for ages, especially after you and your bastard  _ pack _ killed my team.”

“They’re not bastards, take that back!” she snapped, and Freyja let out a groan of irritation and kicked her head, knocking her out cold. 

“Fuck…  _ fuck!” _ she whispered, crumpling to her knees pitifully.

Sasuke was the first to walk over, eyes bare of the swirling tomes and instead their usual black. He sets a hand on her shoulder, eyes swirling with empathy and hatred, though the latter isn’t directed at her.

“Frey-chan…” Naruto whispered, and soon, he and Sakura’s hands were resting on her, too.

Hatake sets a warm hand on her head, carefully avoiding her buns. “You did good.” he says, sealing the body in a scroll. 

She doesn’t speak, merely summons Suotomo, he _ had  _ always been her father’s favorite, and he’s the most likely to respect the man.

The white wolf gently takes the scroll from the man, before turning the opposite direction and running, towards Suna.

“Is it true?” Sasuke asks, “that she killed your team?”

It’s quiet in the clearing.

“Yeah. Yeah it is.”

When they get back to Konoha she writes to Zabuza and Haku. Tells them what happened and spills her heart. She looked at the katanas on the wall, beautifully decorated and engraved with ‘wolf’s pack’ engraved into the bottom of the handle. With a smile she thanks them for the obviously custom made swords, although she prefers using the original one they gave her. 

_ ‘You should consider looking into becoming Konoha shinobi, if only so you could keep an eye on Hatake.’ _

She quickly signs the letter and slips it through the ‘Water’ seal on her arm. It allowed her to transport things put in it via some of Guadalupe’s water, meaning the seal would light up on Zabuza and Haku’s necklace, and would be waiting when they got the chance to get it.

She looked at the sleeping genin on her couch, stuffed full of Udon and now resting peacefully, she really did miss the two ninja, and with them at her new home, all of her new  _ Pack _ would be right here in arms length. 

She felt the seal warm, and she smiled, knowing they had received her letter and were now reading it.

Freyja could also feel Suotomo making his way back to Konoha, and they had no missions besides training the next couple of days. 

The disowned clan heir puffed out a breath as she leaned back in her chair. It was good to be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave some feedback!! i'd love to hear what you guys think!  
> also: i made pin boards for the main crew, and was wondering if you guys would want to see them?? i might even make one for zabuza and haku!


	5. A Wolf is Kind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freyja being a mom, Sakura gets her training, and we learn that Freyja and Haku have had to endure more than they should.
> 
> TW FOR ALLUSIONS TO PAST BAD TOUCH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this book is honestly also inspired by ‘Pulling My Weight’ by ‘ itsthechocopuff ‘ and you should check it out!
> 
> hi! have YOU ever wanted to interact with the author behind Wolves Teeth? no? well! now you can in my new discord server, pop on over!
> 
> https://discord.gg/cZ7eWn

The next morning, she gently shook the kids awake, and once Sakura blinked her eyes open blearily, she smiled, “Hey, wake up the other two, I’m making some breakfast.”

The pinkette hummed drowsily, but turned and began nudging Naruto. She chuckled, walking to the kitchen to quickly make some toast. A  _ thump  _ had her turning around, snorting as she looked at Sasuke, who had rolled off the couch and was now looking around wildly. 

“Bathroom is the first door down the hall, kids!” she chirped, hearing the soft footsteps that belonged to her kunoichi in training. The eldest genin cut up some bananas and apples, setting them with the toast on small plates. After a soft moment of contemplation, she decided to cook a couple of eggs, as well. She hadn’t cared for pups since  _ before _ Team 4 had passed, so she was a bit frazzled, but Freyja thought she was doing splendid.

“Whatcha cookin, Frey-chan?” Naruto asked, pouting as she popped his hand from grabbing one of the apple slices. 

“Breakfast. Tell the other two to wash up and then we can eat, okay?” she said, glaring as he snickered at her.

“You’re just like a mom.” he said, although she could pick out the happiness in the words.

“Yeah yeah, brat.” the ravenette grumbled, taking a moment to pull up her hair into a sloppy bun. She’d fix it in a minute, after the food was done.

“Freyja,” Sasuke asked, “Where’s our clothes?”

“Right outside, hanging to dry!” she called. She had given them some of her old genin clothes, from before she hit her Haztanukai growth spurt, to sleep in so she’d be able to wash their clothes, so they could eat, change, and head to the training grounds with no additional stops.

The Uchiha gave a grunt of thanks, grabbing the clothes and slipping into her room to change into them.

It felt… nice. To have pups in her house, running around and cuffing each other up on the head (“Naruto! Be careful, you almost broke Freyja’s table!” “Ow! Sorry Frey-chan!”) and looking so at home. It even made the wolf inside her head rumble happily. 

Ha. Take that Bitchatake.

After a quick breakfast, she quickly does her own hair, before doing Sakura’s as well. Sasuke eyed the hairstyle with interest, but looked away when Freyja caught his eye.

She’ll have to do her clan style hair, one day, it might be easier for his masculinity to accept.

“So, Frey-chan, when do you think Suotomo will be back?” The blond asked, hands behind his head as he walked.

“Ah, well I can sense him coming back to Konoha, so maybe by the end of today?” she hummed, shrugging, “Not sure. I hope he gets the bounty on Nina, though, she costs a pretty penny.” 

“You can sense him coming back?! That’s so cool!” Sakura said, smiling, and Freyja merely shrugged.

“We’re all connected on a deep level, our chakras are intertwined so we can feel each other no matter where we are. It’s like… like a game of hot and cold, except literally.” 

“Does that happen with all summons?” Sasuke asked, tilting his head, and the darker skinned girl shrugged. 

“No clue. I’ve only ever had mine.”

As if speaking of the devil, Guada summoned herself, holding a scroll in her mouth.

”Is that for me?” Naruto asked, and the summons nodded, dropping the gold scroll into the Uzumaki’s hand.

And, to the surprise of no one but Sakura, the second he opened the scroll he poofed away. At the pinkette’s horrified look, she waved her off.

“He’s going to the summon world to sign the contract, but he’ll be back before Hatake comes to train.” 

Sakura nodded, if a bit unsure, and delicately picked the scroll up.

True to her word, as they sat in the training clearing, practicing Sakura and Sasuke’s taijutsu, Naruto popped into the clearing, grinning brightly.

“They accepted me, and I now have fox summons!” he yipped, and Freyja chuckled.

“Good job buddy!” she said, before she was charged from all sides, yelping, “Hey! No fair!”

Around fifteen minutes later, where they’re getting to ‘know’ Naruto’s primary summon (a cute, black speckled fox cub named Keke) when Hatake comes to the clearing. 

“Maa, get up kids!”

It’s two weeks later before Sasuke gets his summons, he apparently found a scroll on his bed and opened it, succumbing to the same fate as Nartuo had. 

Imagine the genins surprise when he came strolling into the clearing with a panther cub on his shoulder. The wolf summoner threw her head back and  _ cackled. _

“They had the same idea, huh?”

After introductions (the panther was named Kiri), the four genin sat in silence for a while, before Sakura puffed, “Any word back on  _ my _ summons?” she asked, and Freyja hummed.

“Yes actually. They’re organizing things now, since the Elders always favored me, now we’re just holding out hope that we can get past the final barrier quickly.” she blew a piece of hair out of her face, closing her eyes as Naruto laid his head on her criss-crossed legs. Sakura also took this time to rest her head on her right thigh, and the Uchiha, not one to be outdone, took the left.

She snorted at them, merely shaking her head and closing her eyes, arms crossed over her chest for the lack of places to put them.

That’s how the silver haired nin found them, the two newest summons curled up on their summoners chest as they all slept. He took a step as a small breeze blew past them, one that had Freyja instinctively waking up. Her eyes locked with him, and she hummed before closing her eyes back, but she wasn’t resting, shoulders drawn tense and face slightly pinched.

For all Kakashi remembered of his genin team, he had never felt too  _ unsafe _ to  _ sleep _ around his sensei. 

It made guilt and anger curl in the man’s gut, and left a bitter taste in his mouth. She had slept around Momochi Zabuza, Demon of the Hidden Mist, had shoved him and lounged across him like a chair, but she wouldn’t even have a prolonged conversation with her  _ sensei? _

The more rational part of Kakashi’s brain argued that he had held a kunai to her neck and bared his teeth in her face, excluded her on numerous occasions, and more. He kicked it away.

After training, and Hatake asking about their summons, they made their way back home, as the sun was beginning to set. 

“What do you guys want for... dinner…” she trailed off, legs subconsciously slowing to a stop as she felt forigen chakra signatures, dim and suppressed. And in her apartment.

She hands twitched, water slowly beginning to form as she stalked forward, the younger genin slowing to a stop behind her.

Without a further thought, she kicked the door in, stopping her water blade millimeters away from a pale throat.

The brunette looked at her softly, if a bit surprised, “Ah, hello Freyja-san.”

“Haku,” she breathed in relief, letting the blades fall away as she enveloped the teen in a snug embrace, catching sight of Zabuza peering curiously at some decorations on the wall, mainly her gifted katana and ceremonial tanto from her mother, “You scared me, I thought some nin with a hit on me had gotten into my apartment.”

“Not far from the truth.” the swordsman snorted, and she growled.

“Shut up, Bandage-Bastard. C’mon kids, it’s just these fucking… holy shit. Are those-” she paused, looking at the headband tied around Haku’s arm and Zabuza’s arm, shiny and unscuffed. 

“They are. You’re looking at brand new Konoha genin and Jonin.” the dark haired man grinned under his bandages, and she let out a choked out laugh, jumping into his arms.

“Fuck that’s- that’s great! I’m so happy for you guys!” she chuckled tearily, turning as the pups filed in, grinning as well.

“Hell yeah! Does this mean you’ll be in the village?” Naruto asked, toothily smiling as the two ex-missing-nin.

“Zabuza-san,” Sakura had said, voice firm even if it’s undertones wavered. The man looked at the small pinkette, raising a brow, “I… I want you to teach me kenjutsu, if you’d take me on.” she said, mouth pressed into a firm line.

Zabuza looked at Sakura, then at Freyja, having a silent conversation. The wolf summoner shrugged slightly, before nodding.

“Sure kid, I’ll train you.” the girl’s eyes brightened, and turned to the elder genin as she pushed herself off the wall. 

“I’ll go look for you a katana. Sasuke, Naruto, Haku, come with me.” she said, subtly activating the silencing seals in the living room. The other three were confused, but complied with her wishes.

“So, brat, tell me,” he leaned against the wall,  Kubikiribōchō resting idly beside him, “Why kenjutsu? Why do you want to learn it? Be as angry and as loud as you want, Frey enacted silencing seals.”

“I’m tired,” she gritted her teeth, stubborn tears welling in her eyes, “So fucking  _ tired _ of being behind the boys!” nails dug crescents into her hands, eyes blazing with an anger she didn’t know she had, “So tired of being nearly useless to them, I want to be a powerhouse, I want people to hear my name and get scared. Freyja… Freyja’s so strong, and she’s already seen so much! She’s strong not only physically, but mentally. She’s the reason I’m not still as useless as before. 

“I don’t want to  _ learn _ kenjutsu, I want to  _ master it. _ I want to have something those knuckleheads don’t. They have summons now, but I don’t and-”

“She’s probably setting you up with her clan wolves.” the man said, stopping Sakura in her tracks.

“What?”

“Freyja told me multiple times that she had no intentions of having children, or being in a serious relationship. So, taking that into account, and seeing as her old scumbag is a hassle in itself, she’s probably waiting for permission to ship you off to go train and get you the Haztanukai clan wolves.” he gave a wide grin, that even from behind the bandages Sakura could tell was smug, “So no matter what powerhouses those two become, that’s proof you’re her favorite. Sure they got summons, but they’re clan heirs, doesn’t really mean shit.” he waved his hand, walking towards her and setting a large hand on her shoulder.

“She’s giving you, a clanless,  _ civilian-born _ kunoichi, access to her clan’s secrets, something passed down only to them. She wants you to become as much as a power house as those two. If you end up learning medical jutsu, you’ll become a powerhouse  _ and _ an essential ninja. Those two in there don’t have nearly the chakra control you do, blossom.” he said, before ruffling her hair.

After a couple of moments she sobbed, throwing herself into Zabuza’s arms, who hugged her like he expected this. He probably did.

“Th-thank you Zabuza-san!” she sobbed, and he sighed, patting her back.

“Just call me Zabuza, kid. C’mon pull yourself together, you’re gonna be a fucking badass and you know what? Let’s throw sebon in the mix so those things in your hair aren’t just for show.”

In Freyja’s room, looking at katanas she’d unsealed from her back (because, y’know, that’s totally normal), Naruto and Sasuke felt themselves shudder, and Haku and Freyja merely grinned at each other.

Oh how  _ fun _ things were about to be.

**_SAKURA_ **

Sakura was almost regretting asking Zabuza for help. Almost. The man was brutal, teaching her the basics rather quickly, but at least she knew where Freyja got the ‘shoving-you-until-you-don’t-fall’ teaching method.

Said woman had given her a matte red katana, leaning towards a deep pink, the also matte blade to keep shines from giving away their position. 

As it turns out, Haku and Zabuza had been working towards becoming Konoha shinobi since a little after the Wave mission, deciding to settle down there and soothe Freyja’s hyperactive mind.

It was no secret that he and the ex-clan heir had a sibling-like relationship, playful banter being a constant from them, but now that they lived in the same village they were becoming closer, much to Kakashi-sensei’s irritation. 

And, to said man’s chagrin, Sakura, Zabuza and Haku were also quickly developing that sort of relationship. The swordsman was a good teacher, and an even better brother figure, walking her home when their training bled into the night as she had to walk past a few bars to get to her phone.

When she had questioned him on it, his face set into a grim line, brows furrowed, and he had told her sometimes people didn’t know how to keep their hands to themselves, and that he was determined not to fail a third time.

And oh, how Sakura’s heart  _ ached  _ for Freyja and Haku.

When she saw them next, she was sure to hug them both tight. The brunette had simply giggled, squeezing her back. The elder genin rose a brow, and as she caught the jonin’s eye she understood.

When she pulled away from the hug, Freyja grabbed her gently by the biceps, looking at her earnestly with pained eyes.

“Sakura,” she murmured, brushing a piece of hair away from her face, “if anyone puts their hands on you, and you don’t want them there-” she cradled the pinkettes face, brushing her thumb against her cheekbone deceptively soft.

“- _ break them off. _ ”

She meets Shiranui Genma three weeks after she begins training with Zabuza.

“What do you  _ mean _ you don’t want to teach me how to throw senbon?” she groans, idly twirling her katana as the male stood across from where she sat.

“Haku is a lot better at it than I am, and… I don’t know how. Point is, I’m one the the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. I’m a ‘chop-at-it-until-it-dies’ guy,  _ not _ a ‘delicate-throwing-needles’ guy. You’re on your own here, Blossom, ask Rey about it.” he shrugged.

“You  _ suck  _ Zabuza. What, is some senbon wielding nin just gonna fall in my lap? She hates interacting with people, she’s not going to know anyone.”

“You could always ask Hatake.” The words sound like they pained the bandaged man to say, which they probably did, as he still held a strong grudge against the man for the Wave incident.

“He’s still mad that I’m training with you, don’t feel like dealing with him.” she puffed her cheek out, glancing to the side instinctively as a new chakra signature made its way towards them. The bandanna clas man grinned smugly as he paused a couple of yards away, twisting the senbon in his mouth.

“I might not fall into your lap but,” the said weapon was out his mouth and buried halfway in the ground before she could blink, “I could be of some assistance in your senbon problem.”

Surprisingly, Genma and Zabuza get along swimmingly, both men sharing a similar humor and determination to “shove Hatake’s favoritism up his ass.” 

When Freyja comes to pick her up on her way to team 7 training, she pauses, eyeing the senbon wielding man warily.

“I see we’ve made a friend.” she drawls, scratching her wrist, where she knew the storage seal that held her katana sat, idly.

“Shiranui Genma, Haztanukai Freyja, right?” he asked, an easy going smile on his face, although his eyes were tight around the edges.

“Correct. Sorry to interrupt your training Shiranui-san, but if I could borrow my teammate for our darling sensei?” the other girl let tension bleed from her shoulders, and Sakura caught the tail end of a nod from Zabuza; he had her back just in case, but he approved of Genma.

In the time she’d spent with Zabuza, she’d gotten good at reading his expressions and cues, cluing her in on silent conversations he and Freyja had. 

“Ah, I suppose you can, Freyja-chan.” the man said, grin widening. Said girl stiffened for a moment, before scratching behind her ear, but when her hand stretched out, it formed a triangle like shape.

She looked at her katana, which was a couple of steps to the right, the perfect excuse to move and create the triangle formation that Freyja had signaled. She did so, feigning putting the sword in its sheath as Zabuza closed in to make a tighter formation.

The other jonin took notice of what was happening as the swordsman leaned to the side, critically eyeing the man.

And all of a sudden, a pressure Sakura hadn’t noticed was even there was gone as the man untensed. 

“You’ve got good instincts and subtle signs, Freyja-san. How’d you signal them?” he asked, genuine curiosity to his tone.

“Wouldn’t be real subtle if I told you. Let’s start over, Haztanukai Freyja.” she grinned, reaching out a hand. The senbon spitting man went to grab a little above her wrist, but she maneuvered her hand to where it ended up in a normal handshake.

“Shiranui Genma. It was good to meet you, will I be seeing you in the chunin exams?” the man asked her, tilting his head.

“Possibly. Sakura, c’mon, let’s let the boys squabble while we get to team training.” she said, tiredly yawning as she waved, mainly to Zabuza, as they departed.

“He’s a good man. It would be nice to learn under him.” she muses, and Sakura  _ beams. _

(As the two walk away, Zabuza grins, “You know she already passed the Chunin exams two years ago, right? They held her back because of her requested transfer.”

“What.”

At the raised eyebrows the other jonin gives him, the former-Kiri nin chuckles, clapping him on the shoulder, “Just putting it out there.”

He leaves Genma in the training ground to ponder.)

“Hey Frey-chan! Sakura-chan!” Naruto hollered, sharp canines poking out as he grinned at them, a thing that used to irritate her now a comfort,

“Freyja, Sakura.” Sasuke greets, a soft, barely there warmth glimmering under his eyes. 

A couple of months ago, she would have flushed and fumbled with her words, but now? Now all she did was smile back as they walked into the clearing.

Sasuke- her  _ team _ -needed a ninja, not a schoolgirl. Freyja, as if sensing her thoughts, gives her a small, much needed smile. 

All the tension bleeds from her. She’d started becoming a kunoichi they could rely on.

She couldn’t be more proud of herself, and how far she had come. 

“Yo.” Kakashi-sensei said, eye-smiling, “I’ve signed you up for the Chunin Exams.”

  
  


“Good job Sakura. Keep it up and the Chunin exams will be a piece of cake for you.” Genma said, grinning as he looking at the senbon in the test dummy, a perfect shot.

The kunoichi smiled happily, the weight of her sword a reassuring pressure on her back. She’s gonna kick  _ ass _ in the exams.

“Thank you, Genma-san. I couldn’t have done it without you.” the man snorted, shoving her, but she didn’t tumble; Freyja had helped her build up her weight, and then tone her muscles so she’d be a ‘brick wall of a kunoichi’ according to the taller girl.

“Trust me, kid, with or without my training, Zabuza and that Haztanukai would’ve made sure you were practically untouchable.” he said, before glancing behind them, “speak of the devil.” 

Sakura turned, smiling at the two ninja walking towards them. The slightly shorter of the two was holding a scroll, and she looked at the other jonin curiously. He shook his head.

“Sakura, I’ve got to tell you something.” Freyja’s mouth was pulled in a firm line, and she felt her heart begin to thump.

_ She’s leaving. Zabuza and Haku are leaving. Someone’s dead- _

“Yes, Freyja?” she asked, and the ravenette sighed.

“I won’t be able to take the Chunin Exams with you, due to it being an ‘unfair advantage’,” she air quoted, rolling her eyes, “but me and the wolves were thinking, since I’d feel like shit sending you without summons since the boys have them. So, for the exams, we’ve decided to let you temporarily sign our contract so- ouf!”

She threw herself into the other genin, teary eyed, “Thank you thank you  _ thank you!” _

A gentle hand brushed the back of her nape, careful of the metal bands around her buns, “It’s no problem, Sak. I want you to become the powerhouse I know you can be.”

“So I just sign here?” 

“Yup. Then, when we both push chakra into the ink, it’ll disappear. Perfect temporary solution.” the girl hummed, quickly signing her name. It glowed for a second, and Sakura took a deep breath. 

There was this weird, almost vague feeling in her chest, right where her sternum was.  _ ‘This must be what Freyja was talking about when she said sensing her summons.’ _

The pinkette closed her eyes, letting herself adjust to the new  _ smells _ and  _ sounds. _

Honestly, she was getting a new appreciation for the three other nin; Freyja radiated a sand-pine-grass and a scent that almost smelled like the heat on a hot day.

Zabuza smelled like metal-rain-grass with an underlying copper smell that couldn’t be anything but blood.

Genma-san gave off a more woodsy scent, abd although he did have an underlying copper smell, it wasn’t as strong as Zabuza’s.

She looked at the- also temporary -seals on her arm, and pushed a little chakra into it. 

Guadalupe popped into existence right as she heaved a breath from how much chakra it had taken. She’d been expanding her reserves, yes, but  _ fuck _ .

“How do you do that so often?” she wheezed, and Freyja, the monster, just grinned. 

“Practice. Now, do again with the others. We’re doing this until you barely bat an eye at how much chakra it takes.”   
  


The pinkette ends up passing out four times. Each time she wakes up, the three shinobi are sitting around her with some type of food. True to her word, Freyja makes her summon, unsummon, ans then resummon the three wolves until she barely notices how much of her chakra it saps.

“Good. Now let’s try all three at one time.”

Sakura barely feels bad about the dull kunai she chucks at her.

That night, when she, Sasuke, Naruto and Freyja sit around the table, the older genin sighs.

“I have a bad feeling. C’mere you three.”

They, although confused, do so. She gets the temporary ink out of her bag, grabbing Sakura’s other arm. 

“I have a feeling that somethings going to go wrong, these are distress seals. If something does go horribly wrong, push chakra into them. I’ll find you, no matter where you are, no matter what’s in my way.”

She painted the seal on the other two genins, before making eye contact with each of them.

“No matter what.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please do leave feedback!! id love to hear it!


	6. A Wolf Defends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like she predicted, something goes wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #letsakurasayfuck2020
> 
> hi!! here i am, reminder to join my discord for general shenanigans, sneak peaks, and to be notified personally of updates!!
> 
> https://discord.gg/cZ7eWn

The three look at the door blankly. The two genin are nearly breaking a swear.

“I… I genuinely think I might laugh.” she murmured, sending out a pulse of chakra. Sasuke and Naruto blink, nodding.

“Yeah… that’s just disappointing. Especially from Chunin.” Sasuke sighed, turning to walk up the next set of stairs. 

“Believe it, thank kami Frey-chan and Guadalupe for teaching us to disrupt genjutsus.” Naruto snorted, taking the steps two at a time. His teammates shared an exasperated glance, before following after him.

“Isn’t that the girl Genma’s been training?” one of them murmured, quiet, but not so quiet that Sakura’s new hearing (which she would mourn losing once the exams were over) couldn’t pick it up.

“Yeah. Rumors are she’s real close with the Demon of the Mist and the Haztanukai heir that got disowned awhile back.” 

“You know not to listen to rumors.”

She almost laughed.

The room was packed, and she paused at the door, making sure to not let the new smells overwhelm her. Sasuke and Naruto also paused, having been informed by Freyja the night before. 

Let it be known Sakura did not trust Kabuto from the beginning. The seals on her arm  _ burned _ with the growls she couldn’t hear but  _ felt _ in her chest, reverberating around the space between her ribs.

He stunk of  _ snake, _ and it set her on edge, almost more than the smell of  _ ill _ - _ intent _ and  _ bloody murder  _ the Suna boy runk of.

She shook herself off, looking at the nin-cards with distaste. A  _ genin _ shouldn’t have those, she’d have to ask Zabuza about it.

“Do you have anything on Haztanukai Freyja?” Sasuke asked, earning a punch to the arm from Naruto.

“The hell, teme?!”

“Yeah, I do. Wow… already in the bingo books at 16.” Kabuto murmured. Despite herself, she leaned over, raising her brows. Her stats were rather high, and she specialized in full frontal attacks. 

At Sasuke’s raised brow, she drew her eyes to the ‘team’ section. There was a young, violet eyed girl with tan skin, a cocky smirk present on her face and her long black hair braided over her shoulders. Beside her was a boy with long brown hair and pale lavender eyes who was obviously a Hyuga, a more subdued look on his face. Lastly, their sensei with blond hair tied in a low ponytail and hanging over his shoulder that still didn't fit in the frame. He had muted blue eyes, hooded in a tired way, but a kind smile on his face.

The picture of Freyja was… startlingly different from how they knew her. Young and with a hollow look on her face, her hair pulled in a high ponytail, she looked almost… dead.

The difference with the three pictures was the ‘DECEASED- KIA’ underneath the others. She frowned, this was her first team. Team 4, if she remembered correctly.

“Long hair seemed to be a theme.” the white haired genin commented, shrugging at the glares he received. “Just sayin.”

Sakura groaned quietly, going to sit in her assigned seat, resting her head in her arms. The sounds and smells were muted, giving the girl a much needed break from the slight sensory overload she was having. Without fail, a couple of seconds later Sasuke and Naruto sat beside her, an even further buffer for noise. 

Sasuke had been opening up, and Naruto had been mellowing out. They were finally becoming a  _ team.  _ To think it took a disgraced clan heir and a missing nin to do that.

The blond looked around, scratching at his nose boredly, while the other male eyed the area around them suspiciously. They had both also gotten enhanced senses with their summoning contract, but not nearly to the level their kunoichi teammate had.

Which is why, a minute or so later, all three of them began clawing at their ears, turning and seeing the foreign nin attack Kabuto.

She grabbed her teammates arms, snatching them back down in the chairs.

“Lay low, idiots. Save it for the exams.” she snarled and  _ wow _ she  _ definitely  _ couldn’t make that sound before the contract. 

She almost startled when she heard an echo of what sounded suspiciously like Dorje’s laughter ring through her head. They’d decided to stay with Sakura for the exams, so only she could summon them since Freyja was ‘more than capable’ of handling herself.

When Ibiki walks in, demanding that they sit in their seats, she’ll admit: she nearly shuddered.

But when she received the written exam, she’d never been more thankful that Freyja had decided to travel the nations a little. Sakura knew they aced the Suna part, and the rest was history.

Without looking up from her paper, she let a trickle of water run down her hand and onto the floor, the drops silent as could be. She kept her face deceptively blank as the water began to slink towards Naruto and Sasuke.

They had this in the  _ bag. _

Ibiki almost got her with the tenth question, but a quick deep breath made her aware of the fact that his scent hadn’t shifted at all: a bluff.

Despite this, Naruto went on a rant about something or another, she closed her eyes, allowing herself time to calculate, breathe,  _ strategize.  _

Konoha focused on their teamwork. That's what their Chunin exams  _ focused _ on. She shivers at the thought of what they would have become without Freyja’s bondings.

“You all- pass!” 

What in the  _ fuck. _

Anko also runk of snakes, but there was something distinctively  _ Konoha _ about her scent that made her trust worthy. 

She looked at the Forest of Death, and glanced at her teammates, “I’d  _ kill  _ to have Freyja here right now.”

The Uchiha snorted, muttering a ‘no kidding’ as Naruto chuckled.

“Do you think we can summon our summons the second she opens the gate?” he asked, already dragging his thumb across a sharpened nail (damn Freyja for teaching him that trick) and she could feel his chakra shaping itself.

“Maybe. What do you think, Sasuke?”

“I think our best bet right now is one brute force summon, one stealth, and one for info gathering. Which happens to be-“

“Our fuckin’ specialty’s, respectively, and then the opposite with our summons.” she muttered, already getting her chakra ready to leak into the kanji for ‘lighting.’

The second the gates opened, they were off. 

They ran for 15 minutes before they found a Suna team. Without missing a beat, Dorje and Sasuke funneled their lightning chakra through the ground, the wolf’s fur sticking up from the electricity.

The team convulsed, and for good measure sent another volt through them. The genin snarled as the scrounged around, groanig as they realized they also had a Heaven scroll.

“Lame.” Dorje grunted, grabbing the back of one of their shirts and stuffing them under some brush, “there are animals, and people, out here that won’t hesitate to kill them if they see them, it’s best if we hide them.” 

Kiri mewled from her place on Sasukes shoulder, apparently agreeing. 

Let it be known, Sakura summoned the rest of her temporary summons the  _ second _ she smelled snake. 

And the moment she and the boys got an inkling that this Grass genin was  _ not a genin, _ they glanced at each other and nodded minutely.

Their distress seals  _ glowed. _

  
  


**_FREYJA_ **

“Calm down, Rey. They’ll be fine.” Zabuza groaned as he packed, he and Haku having a mission out of the Leaf.

“Yeah but what if they’re not? I can’t even check in and something is  _ wrong, _ Zabuza.” she keenes deep in her throat. It was making her Inner Wolf go  _ crazy _ , her pups were far away and sure they had the  _ Pack _ with them but what if-

“They’ll be fine. It’s not as if one of the fuckin  _ sannin  _ are going to appear. It’s  _ genin, _ they’ll be fine. And you gave Blossom those summons  _ and _ the other two brats the distress seal.”

She groaned, walking over and shoving the taller nin on the bed so she could sprawl over him. He grunted, but allowed himself to be used as a glorified pillow.

“I know it’s just- it’s not a smell, but more like a sixth sense I’d say? Like rubbing a horse's coat the opposite way, it just feels  _ weird.” _

The ex-missing-nin shook his head fondly, ruffling her hair, which was down for once.

“You and your sixth sense kid. They’re gonna be fine.” 

She puffed at him, before closing her eyes and allowing herself to relax onto the cool body beneath her.

“I guess you’re right.”

It’s four hours after Zabuza and Haku leave that her Mother Distress seal, the one that ultimately reacted when the others were triggered,  _ burned _ like it was a metal branding on her palm. 

But that didn’t matter. She was ripping through the Konoha central like the devil itself was biting at her heels. 

She inhaled deeply, tracking them to the Forest of Death.

“Hey, you can’t go in there!” one of them called, but it didn’t deter her. She closed her eyes, blinking.

_ She looked at the cage in the cave, the figure of the wolf staggeringly familiar.  _

_ “Wolf,” she greets, not flinching as the beast roared and clamp down in the bars, “may I use your power?” _

_ “You  _ dare  _ ask me that, you ignorant fool?!” he snarled, and she hummed. _

_ “Understandable. Rest well.” _

She opened her eyes, navigating through the thick forest with ease.

The stench of snakes nearly stopped her in her tracks, but she pressed forward. With one last lunge of chakra she bursts into the clearing.

And right into the snake sannin’s side. She digs her clawed fingers into his side as he rips away.

“I could maim Zabuza,” she growled, boxing herself up so she stood in front of the other genin, a pitiful attempt at blocking them from view.

“Oh? Kukuku, is that the  _ Sand Wolf _ I see, or do my eyes deceive me so?” the man asked, a grin curling at his lips.

“They do not deceive you. I will have to ask you to leave these genin alone.” she murmured, looking at her summons quickly. Dorje and Suotomo were bleeding in multiple places, while Guadalupe was draining the moisture from deeper in the earth to heal herself.

“I will have to decline, then.”

_ She looks at the wolf as she walks towards his cage. _

_ “What are you- what did I say?!” the beast roared, and she grunted. _

_ “We’re fighting a sannin. I apologize for ignoring your wishes, but it cannot be helped.” _

_ She rips the seal of the cave wall. _

Freyja hisses in pain, clasping a hand over the marking on the back of her nape. Her teeth elongate, claws and skin grow thicker, hearing and smells sharpened even more than usual.

Doing this will most likely kill her, but there is no time. Desperately reaching into the depths of her memory, bringing up what Kin’s seal looked like, and pressed her chakra into that shape.

The burned seal flared painfully as he appeared beside her. Deciding not to waste another second, they all lunged.

Almost any kunai or shuriken Orochimaru threw, Kin absorbed into his skin, frustrating and piquing the man’s curiosity. 

She clawed at his skin, taking chunks away with her as she did, though that’s not to say she wasn’t losing her own fair share of swipes from the sannin. She just couldn’t  _ feel _ them.

Freyja wasn’t dumb enough to think that she could fight a sannin and not die, much less fight one and  _ win, _ but kami dammit she would  _ try. _

He was obviously getting irritated, and if you’d asked her to describe in vivid detail what happened, she couldn’t. Her back hits a tree, but she’s up on her feet before she’s properly registered it, high on adrenaline and the seal pumping through her blood. Panthers, foxes, wolves and her genin are fighting with their whole heart and soul, she can  _ smell  _ the Kyuubi’s corrosive chakra burning her nose. 

In the back of her throat, she whines, the frequency too high for anyone but other canine-affiliated to hear.

(Miles and miles away, Kiba sits up, cocking his head, but ultimately ignores the noise.

In the room of councilman and shinobi alike, Kakashi looks around, head slightly tilted at the whine(?) he hears, but draws his attention back to the hokage.)

Crouching low, she channels a little too much chakra to her legs, shooting off and body slamming into the man's neck. He hisses, irritated, before he draws back into himself.

“I’ll be  _ back _ for you, Sasuke.” he hums, chuckling softly to himself as he slunk into the forest. 

“Get up, go go.” she snarled, shoving the kids, not a second to waste, “Go to the checkpoint, I’m right behind you!”

She desperately clutched onto the last of her adrenaline, not yet not yet-

They cross the line into the tower, and she shudders a breath. The kids look at her worriedly, eyeing wounds she cant yet feel, but she just waves them off.

A little more, not yet she  _ cannot collapse yet.  _

She runs through the forest, head beginning to ache from chakra exhaustion, the Wolf oddly quiet. 

A little- bit-!

She bursts from the tree line, hitting the ground roughly as she groaned, letting the last of the wolf’s power slip from her grasp.

“Freyja-san, Freyja-san!” she whined, she just wanted to  _ sleep,  _ but she cracked her eyes open, peering at the man through blurry eyes.

Brown hair, tan, scar across his nose-

“Iruka-san…” he nodded, and she realized a hand was absently petting her hair. There were other people around them, and she clutched her shoulder, which she belatedly realized hurt like a  _ motherfucker- _

_ “ _ Freyja-san, I need you to tell me what happened.”

“S-rank…. security breach. Sannin, snake, after the pup-“

“Which ‘pup,’ Freyja?”

“Sasuke, after Sasuke. Shadowed them to the tower, made sure they got there safe. ‘M sleepy.” 

“Do  _ not _ sleep, Freyja. I need you to stay awake until the medics get here-,” she blinked blearily at him, frowning as her vision got darker, “Freyja! Fre-!”

She falls unconscious.

**ZABUZA**

He jumped to the gate, nodding at the two guards (whose names he could never remember) as Haku landed beside him. They stiffened minutely, and he narrowed his eyes, they never stiffened in front of them anymore… 

He felt his heart stutter, sharing a glance with the teen beside him, swallowing uncomfortably. After verification, he speed walk to Freyja’s apartment, Haku splitting off to go give their report to the Hokage. 

Zabuza had lost a lot of people in his life, had taken some with his own hands. 

He would survive this.

~~He wasn’t ready to lose Freyja yet~~.

It would be fine.

~~ He could already feel anger bubbling in his chest. ~~

If Freyja was dead, life would go on.

~~_ Please god let her be okay. _ ~~

He stared icily at the chunin in front of said girls door, the squeak he let out almost pulling a smile from him.

“Zabuza-san,” he began, shifting slightly, “I-“

“Tell me she’s not dead.” he said, softly, and the scarred man sighed.

“She’s not dead but… it’s not looking good. She’s in critical condition, apparently one of the Sannin snuck into the village, and she went to back Team 7.” he sighed, frowning, “We’re doing everything we can to ensure that she makes it though, we think one of her seals may have overloaded her system, she has a lot of torn muscles and-“

“Where are the other two sannin then?” Haku asked, appearing beside him, and the brunette jumping slightly.

“Th-they haven’t been in the village for years, you can’t just  _ recall a Sannin _ for any genin, even if-“ he paused, what he said seeming to catch up with his brain and exactly who he had said it to. The three stared at each other, before the teen broke the silence.

“Then we’ll track them down. Freyja would go to the ends of the earth and back for us, it’s simply wrong to not do the same.” they hummed, glancing around.

“W-with all due respect, you can’t just  _ drag a sannin back to leaf to heal your friend.” _

“Their teammate made a mess, it seems only fair they clean up.” Zabuza hummed, “We’ll go talk to the Hokage.” 

The ponytailed chunin let out what sounded like a sob, but followed them as they did

“I suppose I do owe Freyja a debt for taking care of Orochimaru, and defending Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura.” the old man hummed, grabbing a piece of paper and beginning to write furiously, “I’ve been far too lenient with my students. It’s time they came home.” 

One day. It took  _ one day  _ for the sannin to arrive in the village, both equally as irritated by the situation, but Jiraya was making the most of it.

He stared at them as they entered the hospital room, Freyja’s stubbornly bandaged arms on display for all to see above her blankets.

“What’s wrong with the brat?” Tsunade asked, and Zabuza grunted.

“She fought Orochimaru to protect her teammates, and broke a seal, which is what we need Jiraya for. She has torn muscles, shattered ribs, a few broken vertebrae, as well as slightly stretched chakra coils. One of her summons has fixed most of the nerve and internal damage that she can, but she’s not built to heal.”

“Dumb brats, getting me called back to this  _ fucking village-“ _ she hissed, running her hands over her shoulder as they pulsed with chakra.

“It was your teammate after all.” Zabuza said, feeling himself bristle up, as did Tsunade and Jiraya.

“You’d better watch your tongue, Demon, Konoha shinobi or not.”

“Cause you know  _ so  _ much about that-“ a weak flare of soothing chakra had them all looking at the dark skinned girl, who remained unconscious. He snorted, lightly petting her hair as he shook his head, “Keeping me out of trouble, even on death’s doorstep.”

“Ah, that’s who she is.” the toad sannin hummed, grinning, “Haztanukai Freyja, Sand Wolf of Suna, partner to Momochi Zabuza.”

“That’s her. She’s not using her chakra so much as her summons are subconsciously pushing out soothing chakra to calm the environment around her.”

The blonde woman grunts, healing all of the girl's injuries. A couple of seconds after she does, the kunoichi snaps awake, teeth bared and sitting up in a haste.

“Hey, Rey, calm down.” he grunted, manhandling her back down. The girl snorted, rolling her eyes as she untensed.

“Demon of the Mist, sure, more like the _Pain of my Ass._ _Mom_ -ochi.” she grumbled, seemingly unaware of the other two sannin in the room, but Zabuza _knew better._ He could see the glint of hesitance in her eyes, the vulnerability that shone as she stared at him: ‘ _tell me everything’s okay.’_

“The brats are all fine. You gave that academy instructor quite the scare, Fang.” he could see the deep rooted comfort that the old nickname gave her, tension bleeding from her form like an open wound.

“That’s good, seeing as the Hokage wanted me to dabble in the Chunin Exams.”

“That will be interesting.” he hummed, looking up as he realized the sannin were no longer in the room.

“Yeah.” 

It's quiet in the hospital room.

“I felt it, Zabuza.” she whispered, eyes hollow and face pinched, and the man is hit with the realization that she is merely a child.

“I know.”

“I was right there, I could hear her. She sounded so sad.” she croaks, not resisting as the older slider her over, wiggling himself into the hospital bed and letting her rest on him, his naturally cold skin a soothing contrast to her warmth. “I- I don’t wanna die, Zu.” 

He tightens his hold on her, so minute he almost didn't realize.

“I know, I know.”

He stares at the mirror. Haku had once compared him to a wolf who had found a viper and a doe in his care. At the time he had scoffed, brushing the comparison off.

Now, he thinks they’re right.

( _ The swordsman grunted as the thirteen year old rested on his side, so so  _ small.  _ She was only 4’11, but built like a redwood and trained within an inch of her life.  _

_ Zabuza had never considered himself gentle by any means, but… he was so  _ big _ and he felt like he was walking and didn’t know where a cat was, paranoid he was going to break it under foot. His hands are larger than her face, and he thinks for a morbid second how  _ easy _ it would be to just push at both sides and  _ crush _ - _

_ She grunts as she turns over, reminding him he’s on night watch.) _

They’d come a long way since then. There… there had been times where Zabubza had to detach himself, had been so ready to slit her throat just so she wouldn’t suffer anymore, withering in pain as she laid unconscious on a bed mat. Times where he had held her cold body in his hands and knew she was dead. But she wasn’t then, and she wasn’t now.

He swallows uncomfortably. When does her luck run out?

She’s up and about the next day, grinning easily, but he can see the haunted look in Tsunade's eyes.

Shinobi do not recover that quickly.

Weapons do.

She lounges against him in the stands, eyes vigilante for her kids as the genin teams walk into the arena. When she sees them, she nudges him, grinning.

“Look at them, all grown up.” she whispers, “Look at our little Blossom. What a fine young kunoichi.” the girl is glowing with pride.

“Aren’t you supposed to be there?” he muttered back, and she shrugged, petting Haku’s head on her lap.

“I’m just in the preliminaries, just there to show off, flare my power and then chill here.” she hums, fingers drumming on his leg rhythmically. He says nothing, bares his teeth at anyone who looks at them weird.

He knew Freyja had come to a realization: one of the sannin was after her team, there was no longer the reassurance that she’d be able to come home, even more so than before; there was no guarantee she would get last words.

It makes his stomach curl. 

He looks at the board, Blossom versus a Yamanaka, Naruto against an Inuzuka and Sasuke against someone named Yoroi. 

He raises a brow at Freyja’s fight, a Hyuuga. Yikes.

“This is rigged.” she growls, and he merely snorts.

Sakura breaks a record for quickest takedown. One minute she’s in front of the blonde, the next she’s got a kunai made of water pressed against her jugular, not a summons in sight. 

“Hiding her cards.” the dark skinned girl beside him muttered, “Smart girl.”

He hums, nodding. Haku watches, silent and impressed.

Naruto’s ends… in a roundabout way. It nearly sends the genins beside him into hysterics, and even gets a chuckle out of him. Naruto looks genuinely embarrassed and chuckles, hauling Kiba up and gently flushing his nose with chakra which required a lot more control than he was aware the Uzumaki possessed. 

Sasuke’s fight is interesting, and then, out of reflex, he summons Kiri and another panther. The summons take the nin so off guard they’re able to pin him down and the proctor calls the match.

The arena  _ explodes _ in noise, how did he get summons? Who gave him that contract?Everyone’s eyes go to Hatake, but his eyes bore into Freyja. She stares back.

He doesn’t really pay attention to any other matches until her’s pops up. She groans, but quickly makes her way to the ring.

Now  _ this _ will be good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feedback is always appreciated!! if i made a playlist, would u guys be interested in it??
> 
> can you tell i love zabuza and freyja’s friendship??
> 
> also!! there will be nothing romantic between them, bc while she’s technically an adult bc shes a genin, zabuza is still 26, and shes 16. 
> 
> zabuza is obviously better than in canon, but hes got a weird way of expressing his love (i.e thinking of killing freyja so she wouldn’t be in pain) and hes a bit mentally messed up. 
> 
> is there anything i could do to improve this story? and i promise kakashi’s redemption is coming soon!!!


	7. A Wolf’s Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freyja fights, and runs into a couple of... interesting, friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hihi!! im sorry this chapter is so short 👉👈 am just excited!!!
> 
> i switched the chunin matches up a lil, and i swear i MEANT to get into the Haztanukai-Hyuga feud this chapter but,, gaara.
> 
> also, i wonder what zabuza was doing...
> 
> TW FOR BAD PARENTING AND VIOLENCE 
> 
> much love, carson xx

**_FREYJA_ **

She stares at the lilac eyed boy impassively, she can  _ smell _ the seal on him.

“Finally, I can kick you Haztanukai ass and make you reconsider ever being born.” he grinned, and she raised a brow. She remembered her first chunin exams, the large boy choking her to death, the way her kunai had dug into his stomach, securing her victory. She had seen, had  _ faced _ worse than a Hyuga.

The amused grin that curls onto her face is real, but she feigns a sweatdrop anyways, “Jeez, what’s got your panties in a twist, pretty boy?” 

The brunette is practically foaming at the mouth, and the second the proctor gives the go ahead, he lunges like some beast. She dodges his hits easily, his style is mediocre at best, abysmal at worst. 

“You will fall at my hand, scum.” he said, and she rolled her eyes.

“You’re really pushing the whole grudge thing, aren’t you? Being peer pressured by dead people, couldn’t be me.” it has the desired effect, making him nearly lose himself in his anger. 

This continued on for several minutes, the taller genin not breaking a sweat, while the boy began to pant, resorting to throwing kunai and shuriken that she breezily dodged. In all honesty, she was getting quite bored. She keeps it up though, til she’s starting to need to breathe heavier, and the boy is nearly collapsing in exhaustion.

Time to spice it up.

She leaps away, and takes up a stance. She feels the temperature drop, and the Hyuga’s face stills into shock.

“How do you-  _ how do you know the Gentle Fist style?!” _ he roared, and she grins easily, going forward and landing a brutal, open palmed hit to the solar plexus. 

( _ “Fuck!” she wheezed, holding her sternum, staring at the sky as Ayumu stared down at her. _

_ “Get up, Freyja. We’re not done sparring.” he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. She whined, but complied, no matter how much it pained her.  _

_ “This is dumb.” she growled, and he just grinned. _

_ “You’re the one who said you wanted to learn it, Haztanukai. Learn first hand.” _ )

The K.I was slowly rising, as expected when you see one of your clan’s sworn enemies using your clan-only technique. She can only imagine the clan’s complaints to The Third; serves the Hokage right for putting her on a genin team with a canine-affiliated.

The second he hits the floor, she’s on top of him, kunai pressed to his neck.

“Haztanukai Freyja wins!” the sick man calls, and she backs away, smirking victoriously.

Getting her late-teammate to teach her his clan’s fighting style would always be her greatest accomplishment, no matter what.

The smirk grows as the Hyugas scream in outrage, Lord Third looking at her with exasperation. Zabuza cackles and Haku snickers, hidden behind a hand; she can pick out the sounds of her team above the rest of the noise.

Then her opponent attempts to strike again.

He’s on the floor, clawing at the foot on his neck a millisecond later. She feels jounin behind her, tensed and taken off guard.

“I didn’t even feel her move…” the proctor mutters, and Genma shrugs from his place near her.

“Haha! Freyja, the Will of Fire burns within you brightly!” Gai cheers, clapping her on her back, and subsequently knocking her back into reality rather than her past. She takes her foot off the boy's neck slowly, stepping away as he gasps and choked.

“Oops.” she hummed, body flickering beside Zabuza.

Multiple lilac eyes watch her as she sits down, and she yawns. 

“I’m tired, mind if I nap?” she asked, and the ex-missing-nins nod. She rests her head on his shoulder, and Haku rests on her collar bones, like dominos. 

She doesn’t sleep, just rests. The subtle flare of the swordsman's chakra every time someone got a little too close kept her on edge.

She appreciated it. A couple of matches pass, and she hums, “Gonna grab something to eat, want anything?” 

“I’m good, you mongrel. You have a bottomless pit for a stomach.” The insult is barely anything from Zabuza, while it coming from anyone else would’ve had her hackles raised and snarling.

“Okay.”

She walks out into the hall, looking around for a vending machine or something, when she smells the familiar scent of lilies. She dodges a hit to her side, looking at Neji.

“Ah, it’s you.” she mumbled, looking at his pulsing eyes with a raised brow.

“You obviously could have taken him out at any point, why did you wait? Why did you toy with him?” he hissed, hands trembling with rage and she shrugged.

“I don’t need to win. I’m there to dabble and get out.” she frowned, taking a couple of steps forward, “A subtle flare of power, showing Suna exactly what they lost. You have no reason to hate me.”

“You’re one of  _ them- _ ” 

“Not legally, no, I got disowned awhile back.” she waved her hand dismissively, and the boy stared at her.

“What.” 

“You heard me. I have no reason to feud with me, they have drained me of my Haztanukai blood-”

“Drained you?” he asks, and how funny, she thinks with mirth, that Junko would be rolling in her grave right now.

“Do you think you’re just allowed to leave a clan like mine?” she snorts, and begins to unravel her bandages. At the sight of her burned skin, he sucks in a breath, but she points to her wrist, where a deep scar lies. “He didn’t kill me, of course, but he bled me damn near dry. The Haztanukai are brutal, and deserve no place in the Peace Lands, I’m under no impression that I am exempt from this, but,” she sets her bandaged hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently, “you should not waste your youth hating so fiercely for people who will rot anyways.” 

She leaves him to ponder.

She returns with a bag of chips, snacking, as she looks at the fight that’s going on.

“What happened while I was gone?”

“Ah, that Akimichi lost to some Sound kid, but now it’s cousins fighting.” Haku comments, “Zabuza went to pee.”

She highly doubts that’s where he actually went, but doesn’t question it. Neji is kicking Hinata’s ass, and she genuinely feels bad for the girl. Ayumu would be ripping his hair out right now.

The end result is brutal, and eventually a sensei steps in to separate them. She glances at her blond knucklehead, seeing him squeeze the railing so hard it crushes under his palm. Oh boy.

When she hears the next name called, she sits up, genuinely interested in how this fight would go. She knew he had been pretty okay before she left, but an anxious feeling still churns in her gut.

The fight feels like it goes on for hours, her throat tightening. The boy cracked Gaara’s armor.  _ He cracked Gaara’s armor. _

She’s impressed, for a moment, before the redhead begins to crush the boy’s arm and leg.

Without her permission, she stands.

“ _ GAARA.” _

The name bellows out across the arena, and the jinchuriki stops, looking up at her with wide, surprised eyes. She stares at him, eyes blazing in an anger she hadn’t directed at the boy much, and he slowly begins to lower the jumpsuit-clad boy. When he does, medics rush onto the scene, ending the match. 

He stares up at her, a kicked puppy expression on his face, but she’s not looking at him, instead watching Rock Lee be escorted out, a frown on her face.

Anger bubbles up in Gaara’s chest, before he kicks it, remembering  _ that’s exactly what Freyja is upset with him! _ So so  _ stupid. _

She sits down, before shaking her head, “I’m- I’m going to go get something to drink.”

So she does, and grabs another bag of chips since she’s eaten all of the first one. When she’s coming back, she raises a brow at the familiar scent, turning around.

She gives a nod at the painted boy, swallowing a chip and leaning against the wall. 

“Hey, Kankuro, how’s it going? She asks, grinning down at him.

“It’s been going okay, squirt, though I guess I can’t call you that anymore.” he vaguely motions to her, and she snorts.

“Yeah, the last time you really saw me I was, what? 5’2?” she asked, shrugging as she popped another chip in her mouth.

“Something like that. Konoha’s been treating you okay?” the brown haired boy asked, giving her a ‘really?’ look at her nod.

“It has been! The wolves love it here. Although I  _ do _ miss Suna sometimes.”

“Just can’t beat sun lounging on the rock.” he hummed, soft chuckles falling between them at the inside joke. He was only a couple of months younger than her, and had been good company after the incident with her team, had let her destroy training grounds in her rage as a silent watcher, then as a silent companion, and finally, a friend.

She absentmindedly rubbed at her hip bone, remembering the slight tan lines that had formed there as they laid on the rock in the sun.

“So, what have you been-”

“Freyja.”

Kankuro stiffens, but the girl just turns her head to look at the pale boy.

“Gaara, hello.” she greets, turning her body more towards him, frowning. She had never really been scared of the one-tail’s holder, wary, yes, but never scared; he smelled so  _ sad _ and scared. Always a weapon, never a child. Maybe it was because they could relate to that feeling that she treated him with kindness, hoping to make a difference in his life. 

But right now, she was upset with him.

Kankuro took this invitation to  _ get the hell out _ , leaving the two alone in the corridor.

“What were you talking about?” he asked, and she hummed, shrugging, tilting to chip bag towards him, a silent question. 

“Catching up.” she replies, tone clipped, and he nearly whimpers.

“It's loud, when you aren’t around.”

She sighed, pushing herself off the wall and slowly approached him. After a small nod of confirmation, she set her hand on his head, ruffling his hair gently. “You know I’m just a letter away, Gaara. I can visit sometime if you want-”

“But it’s not the same!” he growled, furrowing his (lack of) brows, grabbing her wrist a little too hard, but she remained quiet, “They’re all so annoying, Freyja. So… so  _ annoying _ .”

“Then ignore them, they aren’t worth your time.” she sent out subtle waves of positive intent, smiling as she felt his scent begin to calm.

Gaara, like any traumatized child, had latched onto the first sign of a positive relationship, until not only was Freyja known as the  _ Friend-Killer Haztanukai _ but also as  _ The Honorary Demon _ throughout Suna. It had left the child pleased to no end that he had scared off anyone who would’ve taken  _ his _ friend away, while the girl had sighed, but accepted her fate.

He had nearly gone on a rampage when she informed him that she was transferring, but she managed to calm him with the promise of a visit as soon as she could. She really should have planned her leave better.

That’s probably the only  _ real _ reason the Kazekage let Freyja leave, was to get her out of his son’s life, but oh well. 

“But Mother…” he mumbled, rubbing the bandages on her wrist as his loosened his grip, “She says-”

“Gaara.” she says, peering into his sea-green eyes, “what have we said about ‘Mother?’”

“That she’s not nice, and I shouldn’t listen to her so much- but! But who else am I supposed to listen to?” 

Freyja suppresses another sigh, she  _ sucked _ with kids, in her personal opinion.

“Your heart, bub. You know that wasn’t right. I know that it wasn’t right. I want you to apologize to Rock Lee before the Chunin Exams, I’m serious.” he subtly frowned, looking off to the side.

“I didn’t know you'd be here.”

“Does that make it right?” she asked, raising a sharp brow, and he slumped.

“No.”

“I’m- I’m not  _ mad _ Gaara, I’m just kinda upset with you. I know you’re better than this.” she murmured, petting his head like you would a cat. The boy leaned into the touch happily, a ghost of a smile on lips.

She internally sighed, damn this kid and her inability to stay mad at him.

( _ The blood on her face is enough to have her slightly recoiling, although she scrubs at Gaara’s hand with the same care she would her own. He’s frowning, he knows he’s in trouble he just- he did what Mother told him, she was supposed to be happy. _

_ “Gaara,” she whispered, “Gaara you can’t just  _ kill _ people for being rude to me.” _

_ “They called you a mutt, and a friend killer and- and you looked upset and I-“ _

_ “I was upset, but now I’m upset with  _ you. _ You need to realize that isn’t okay.” she said, gently scrubbing underneath his nails habitually. Once his hands are clean, she wipes at his face, making sure to get every splatter. _

_ She is only 13. _ )

“I know.”

“But you  _ don’t  _ know Gaara. They’re scared because you give them reason to be-“

“But you were never scared.” he pointed out, tone still flat, but eyes glimmering with confusion.

“That’s because I know you, Red. I’ve dealt with the same kind of voice rattling around in my head, and I know you’re not your monster, but you let yourself merge in those blurred lines. I know how hard it is, how…  _ tempting, _ it can be; the power to just make everything  _ quiet _ in seconds, seeing people tremble when you look at them- when you’re  _ near _ them, but I don’t want that for you. You deserve better.” she whispers, can feel her fingers begin to tremble minutely.

The wolf had been oddly quiet since the forest, almost calm, dare she say, though it still reared its head slightly when Hatake was around. Removing the seal should have, by all means, killed her. It shattered her mindscape, flooded her coils and enhanced her muscle mass too quickly. She should be dead.

But she’s not, so that's a plus. 

“Would you still care for me if I did evil?” the redhead asks, snapping her out of her musings. She pets his head, grinning grimly.

“You are not evil, you are merely a child.”

The boy just hums

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> zabuza :handshake: gaara  
> being borderline obsessed  
> with freyja
> 
> smh this girl just attracting crazy bitches everywhere. sasuke reveals that he has panthers,,, yoinks. 
> 
> i love kankuro. that is all
> 
> dont forget to join my discord! https://discord.gg/Xkqp9n


	8. An Alpha’s View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zabuza kicks Kakashi into gear, and worries for Freyja. Everything seems to be going okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> zabuza pov baeby!!!!!!! and hyuga-haztanukai feud (FINALLY)! im thinking of writing a ficlet abt freybuza before canon!! would you guys be interested in reading that?? hope u enjoy!
> 
> join the discord!
> 
> https://discord.gg/SdaBf7Y

He looked at Hatake impassively, but his fingers twitched, “I just want to make sure you won’t be taking her credit for the summons.” he said, and the white haired man sighed, his singular eye seeming heavier.

“I haven’t treated Freyja as I should, and I admit to that, but I would never take her credit for something as big as this.”

It’s quiet between the two men as Zabuza leans against the wall, getting comfortable.

“She loves your kids, y’know? Nearly ran a hole in the floor pacing when they went for their exams.” the sentence is murmured quietly between the two after a couple of minutes, the weight pressing down.

“Kami I know, she’s everything I would have wanted to be as a sensei.” Hatake chuckles quietly, and Zabuza hums.

“There’s always time for change. Always a chance to redeem yourself. Freyja is a lot more forgiving than you’d think, considering her past,” he pushes himself off the wall, gently setting a hand on Hatake’s shoulder, “Don’t let your past be the death of your future. It’s a mistake too many have made.”

“Including you?” he asks, and Zabuza pauses.

He thinks of platinum blond hair and twinkling grey eyes, laughter as wounds are healed from medical chakra.

He thinks of blood splattered walls and a massacre in his own home, his own bedroom. He banishes the thought.

“Including me.”

The man hums, “We should get back to watching the kids beat the shit out of each other.”

Zabuza chuckles, grinning, “We should.” 

He watches in barely restrained awe as Freyja cows a demon holder with merely a shout. The aura she oozes, that he’s pretty sure she doesn’t even realize she’s releasing, makes the hair raise on his arms. 

“She’s something.” Hatake grunts, and the man merely snorts.

“That’s one way to describe her.” 

“No kidding.”

They share a small grin, despite their worry. The Intimidation was easing ouf of the atmosphere, but that was mostly because Freyja had left the room.

Sakura slides beside to him, glancing up at the teo jounin, “You think it’s genuinely rigged?” 

“Possibly .If they pit Freyja against an Inuzuka, 100%.”

The Inuzuka-Haztanukai rivalry wasn’t as deep rooted or as fueled by hatred as the Hyuga-Haztanukai feud, more so a constant competition of who was the better canine-affiliate. 

Originally, a handful or two Haztanukai had resided in Konoha, even if for a short period of time, so short and so small of a group that it was barely recorded, but they were here. 

Haztanukai Junko: it was a common name in the canine-affiliate clan, she had been one of, if not  _ the  _ best shinobi and clan head to hail from that clan. 

She was power hungry and obsessed with making her clan the best. So much so that during the First Shinobi War, she had propositioned the Hyuga clan heir Shota, who she worked with as a teammate during the war. When he refused, she took advantage of him because, to this day, the Haztanukai don't have the best eyesight. The only thing that had saved her head at the time was her position as clan head and the belief that she had not fallen pregnant, but as a price, they were kicked from Konoha.

Nine months later, that belief was proven untrue, and a baby with the Byakugan was born, named Harukai in Suna, where the clan still resides today. It’s said that the only thing Junko loved more than her clan was her son. Which is why when, four years later, the boy was killed by a Hyuga ANBU, the following results were catastrophic. 

A tracking team was sent out, and the man was found brutally murdered in his home; a warning. One that was not heeded as Shota left to settle the issue himself. 

At the sight of him, she became enraged, attacking without hesitation. They fought for what seemed like hours, before she broke the Inner Wolf seal and slaughtered Shota, only to then die from the backlash of breaking the seal, leaving heirless and leaderless clans.

It’s known as the ‘ _ Hyuga-Haztanukai Ordeal’  _ in the Kiri history books, at least. He stares at Freyja, who’s walking out of the arena.

He wonders if the Hokage will let them help the situation in Kiri. Probably not.

He’ll just have to wait until the rebellion succeeds to introduce Mei and Freyja. They’ll get along splendid, he thinks. 

He looks down to his arm, where the pinkette rests her head there idly, waiting for something to happen. He shook his head slightly- he’d gained more children to watch over.

Iruka saddled up next to them both, grinning shakily, “They’re about to announce the next matches, are you two interested in betting?” 

“Yes.” Zabuza said, without hesitation. He didn’t know if Naruto, Sasuke or Sakura would win, but he knew for a fact Freyja would wipe the floor with any kid.

“You’re confident.” Hatake teases, and he snorts. 

“Freyja’s already won her chunin exams. They didn’t want to send a chunin over to Konoha though, so she didn’t get promoted.”

There’s a pause.

“And you know this… how?”

“We snuck in to watch.” 

There’s another silence, before Sakura bursts into giggles.

“That’s such a you thing to do!” the genin teases, and Zabuza huffs.

“Shut up, pinky. I’ll throw you across the arena.”

As it turns out, Freyja’s matchup  _ is _ an Inuzuka, one her age with a dog that looks more  _ bear _ than canine. 

She looks the beast in its eyes and  _ laughs _ .

They have a month to train, or in Freyja’s case, half ass it but still remain in shape.

“Everyone knows who the superior canine affiliate is anyways, the better- the  _ stronger _ clan.” the ravenette corrected as she smirked cockily, chin resting in her palm as the genin fought. Sasuke glared at her, sharingan spinning which got him a fist to the jaw. 

“Keep your eyes on your target.” Haku drawled, grinning slightly, and the Uchiha scowled, jumping back into the fight.

“Kids, huh?” Zabuza drawled, sitting on the branch beside her, and she hummed.

“Kids. Hey, Sasuke, try to fight Haku and Guada at the same time.” she calls, and the ravenette nods, pausing as the wolf jumps into the fray.

The ex-missing-nin stares at her, before trailing his eyes to her neck. He can see where the seal is still red and irritated, like the Inner Wolf seal hadn’t wanted to take. 

Her muscles are tensed and straining. He raises a brow, and she sighs.

“I don’t know… something just doesn’t feel right still. I want them to be prepared for anything.”

_ ‘For war.’  _ He reads between the lines of her furrowed brows, between the pinched ones around her eyes.

Sasuke takes to fighting two at once like a fish to water. They make sure to fight him one-on-one so he’s able to do either. 

The day he knows Freyja is serious is the day she teaches them one of Team 4’s formations.

The formation is called ‘Team Whirlwind:’ where they stand back to back in a circle at different heights. Sakura’s been training day in and day out with the wolves, which means she takes Freyja’s place, couched low, ready to pounce. Zabuza can see the effect the summons are having on her already, her eyes shine with a feral sharpness to them.

Sasuke’s Sharingan acts as a replacement Byakugan, putting him in Ayumu’s position. He’s been working on sensing as well, making him stand tallest.

Naruto fights with the same quickness and trickery as Michiku, putting him at middle height. The name stems from an accident that created the formation.

The whole point is you’re supposed to be able to move and dart around and attack, but always come back to the formation; to be so in tune with your teammates it feels natural.

When she teaches then, the eldest genin’s words are harsh, but her hands tremble.

She has Naruto create shadow clones to close in on them. It takes them the whole day to begin to move around each other with ease, but they’re grinning and happy.

“They picked it up quicker than I expected them to.” the swordsman hummed, and she chuckled.

“They learned quicker than we did.”

He can only hope the hand he lies on her shoulder is as reassuring as he wants it to be.

He remembers when she first told him about her team. About a goofy, clanless sensei who inspired their long hair, who loved to read and learn, a master of his own taijutsu and craft. About a Hyuga whose family had escaped and gotten citizenship, who became her best friend despite their clan’s hatred for each other, the boy who taught her the Gentle Fist. A civilian born girl who fought like a cornered dog, feral and more than ready to play dirty, who laughed too loud and couldn’t tell a joke to save her life. The fond smile she’d worn while she told him. 

He misses those times.

He wonders if he’ll ever get them back.

He can tell the next week that Hatake has apologized, Freyja’s form lax around the man as they make small talk, the genin practicing the Whirlwind formation a little ways away from them. Haku dances towards them to go and give them a real challenge as the dark skinned girl grinned at him, waving him over.

“Oi, Zabuza. Heard you gave Hatake here a stern talking to.” she drawls, lips curling up in an amused smirk as the man scoffs.

“I did it for me.” he refutes, and she snorts, turning to the silver haired man as he nudged her with he foot.

“And that’s also why he almost skinned Iruka alive when you weren’t at your apartment, yeah?”

The swordsman scowls, thwacking her upside the head, “Be grateful, you brat. Who else has brought you back from the dead by sheer will power?” 

Freyja hummed, tapping his shoulder with her own, a silent appreciation as the jounin looked between them.

“Now  _ that’s  _ a story I’d like to hear.” he muttered, a grin evident in his tone, and the two looked at each other for a moment.

“Another time.” they said in sync, looking back out at the kids. Hatake just shook his head at them, calling out some orders to the genin.

“You think they’re ready?” she asked, weightening her stance as Zabuza threw an arm over her shoulder.

“They’re good.” he said, shrugging as the other two looked at him.

“Good enough.” the sensei hummed, turning back to the genin, “Maa maa! Cmon, lunch time kids!”

The genin trudged over, tired but happy, although the youngest three brighten as they see him.

“Zabu-san!” Naruro chirped, bounding up to him, quickly followed by the other two. Haku giggles, their hand coming to politely shield their mouth.

“Hello, Naruto, Sasuke, Blossom.” he grumbled, trying to pry the children off of his torso. Zabuza glared at the should-be Chuunin and actual Jonin, who were snickering at his expense. “Just you wait, you two. I’ll get my payback.”

They just snicker harder. 

He thinks he’s getting them back now.


	9. A Wolf’s Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freyja and Kakashi makeup, as well as someone unexpected, and Freyja fights in her second match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh this is so short!!! im sorry💔 its been awhile since i posted, which im also sorry for. but hey!!! want to talk about Wolves Teeth or theories/suggestions? join the discord!!
> 
> https://discord.gg/ZYfY7k
> 
> much love,  
> carson xx

The last thing Freyja expected while she was training was  _ Hatake _ of all people to come up to her. She paused from where she was slashing at the water clone. It fell into a puddle as the genin sheathed her sword, looking at her sensei, slightly scrunching her nose at the bitter smell of  _ regret _ coming off of him.

“Yes, Hatake-sensei?”

“I’m sorry.” 

He must see the bewilderment on her face, because he scratches at the back of his neck, dare she say, bashfully.

“I let my personal bias affect how I viewed you, and that was wrong of me, you’re just a kid-“

“I’m a shinobi-“

“Who’s a  _ child.” _ he stressed, brow furrowing as she merely stared, lips pulling into a confused frown, “You are a child. A 16 year old child who is under  _ my care. _ I should have been a better protector, a better…” he scrambled to find the right word.

“Better Alpha.” she said, voice soft, and he nodded. With a small sigh, the genin sat, before patting the ground. “Cmon, we’re gonna… talk this out.” she looks up at him, smiling as he walked towards her.

The jounin did as she asked, sitting down criss-cross in front of her. She untensed her muscles, and let out a soft breath.

“Okay, let’s start from the beginning…”

By the end of their nearly two hour discussion, the two canine affiliated were not only emotionally exhausted, but hungry.

Mentally counting up her points and money, she grinned at Kakashi, “How do you feel about dango?”

He hummed, chin resting in his palm as he pretended to think, “I don’t despise it.”

She curled herself into a sitting position from where she was resting on her elbows, “Would you like some?”

“Maa, I left my wallet and-“

“My treat, you freeloader.” at that, he perked up, before rising to stand.

“Well, if you insist.” he drawls, reaching out a hand. She thinks of the Wave mission.

With a small smile, she clasps her hands around his forearm, heaving herself up.

“Then let’s go.”

  
  


And that’s how they spend the evening, exchanging stories on top of Hokage Rock. For the first time since she met her sensei originally, she let her chakra brush out against his.

She hides a grin when his pushes back, a reassurance.

“So, how did you meet Zabuza?” he asks, grabbing another stick, and she carefully shakes her head so her hair will obscure the edges on her vision even more.

“Well, I was 13. It was my first mission after my team had passed, and it was a C rank, ‘round 4 months long. So I get there, and  _ just _ dodge this bastard who was trying to shoulder check me.

“So, I was of course pissed, and was like, ‘what the fuck dude?’ and  _ he  _ said ‘shut up you little bitch’ and I tried to disembowel him, only to be stopped by Zabuza, who had gotten in the same day and was already done with everyones shit, and the rest is history.” she shrugged, glancing up at the sky as she deducted points from her total, she had around… 40, now.

“Mm, sounds interesting.”

She pauses, letting her head tilt towards him after a moment, staring at the masked man.

“You have something to say.”

It wasn’t a question, merely an observation, as she leaned back, a slight breeze tickling her exposed abdomen.

“I didn’t mean to be cruel, I was just trying to protect.”

“Just because you didn’t mean to be cruel never meant you were kind.”

For a couple of moments they stare at each other, before the jounin breaks the silence.

“Something inside me aches.”

“Your stomach?”

“No, my heart.” Freyja tilts her head, and the man hums, opening his mouth to explain, “It aches when it thinks of how I hurt you, when I should have protected you.”

The dark skinned genin gives a hum of her own, nodding slowly, “In an almost primal sense?” at his nod, she makes an ‘ahh’ sound, “It’s probably your more canine instincts, now that you’ve ah,  _ accepted _ me, your Natural Alpha is trying to reconcile me.”

“Natural Alpha?”

The genin pursed her lips, puffing a breath out her nose.

“Some canine affiliated are naturally born to be leaders, some are meant to be pack members. Natural Alphas are leaders, I’m one of them, so we might bump heads sometimes, but it’s just our stubbornness and will to protect.”

“I think I understand.” he murmurs, and she nods.

“I can lean or lay on you if that would help.”

“...that’d be nice.” he murmurs, barely audible.

So she does. The genin leans on his chest with his arm around her shoulders, the contact a reassurance and comfort to both of them. They continue to eat in silence, merely enjoying each other’s company.

After a while, Dorje lumbers up to them, yawning and shaking out spare static in his fur. He’d been out training with Sasuke today, as well as just wandering around Konoha in general to familiarize himself with it more. He pauses before giving a small rumble, rubbing his snout and neck along Kakashi’s mask and neck.

The black wolf then leans against Freyja, the nearly asleep genin feeling him return to the seal.

“How have you already forgiven me?”

“You’re  _ pack _ .” she mumbles sleepily, already beginning to fade off.

“I am?”

“Always have been.”

She falls asleep before she can hear his reply.

Freyja wakes up in her apartment, on the couch with her softest blanket thrown over her. She knows she uses this blanket the most when she sleeps on the couch, but she  _ also _ knows that she stuffs it in the very back of her blanket cabinet, meaning…

A deep breath confirms her theory, Kakashi looked for her favorite blanket.

A soft snort escapes her as she sits up, gently tossing the cover off of her.  _ ‘One of the wolves must have let him in,’  _ she thinks, shaking her head.

He was really gonna make himself work for this forgiveness, huh?

She stretched out, walking to her balcony and opening the door, stepping out onto it.

Konoha was peaceful in the mornings, the sun having not even risen yet, and Freyja grinned before summoning the three wolves, snickering as they all complained. 

“Hush, hush. Go get the pups, and bring them to the top of the hokage rock, okay?”

They grumble, but comply, while she jumps off the balcony, landing on a roof silently. She has an idea.

Around thirty minutes later, the summons amble up to the girl, three sweaty genin behind them, and although Kakashi isn’t with them, she can smell and feel him near.

“Hi kids, sit down.” she chuckles at the glares they give her as they sit down. It’s obvious they’re hastily dressed, Sakura’s hair not even done. They lie eyes on the breakfast snacks, and Sasuke goes to speak.

“Sh, sh, look.” she whispers, nodding at the rising sun, pointing out as it breaks the horizon. 

As it rises above the land, they’re quiet, occasionally eating some of the food she brought. At some point Kakashi sits down beside her, also quietly watching the sun. The wolves do, too, laying on the grass sleepily.

It’s nice, and she holds the warmth of the moment close to her chest.

It's nice.

  
  
The end of the month comes as quickly as she expected, now that they’re on at least talking terms. 

Freyja walks into the Chunin exams with her head tilted up and her grin bordering on feral. Luckily for her, her match is up first.

Before she walks down, she pauses, looking up into the stands, and feels some sort of pride as her sensei watches her, a certain gleam in his eyes.

“I guess we’re all gonna see who’s the better canine, yeah?” the boy chuckled cockily, “Why don’t you back out now, girly, might get a little too heavy for your tastes.”

She gave an irritated chuckle, faintly hearing a ‘go’ from her left as they began to circle each other. 

“You think I’m scared of you and your mutt? Back in Suna, I ate kids like your for breakfast, little rabbit,” a snarl erupts from the duo, “now, lets stop playing-“ the ninken lunges, and she leans back, head nearly hitting the floor, with a cackle on her lips as she jumps away, feral smiling over taking her face. “This is what I’m talkin’ about!”

It goes on like this for about ten minutes, dodging and evading, a back and forth of teeth and claws. 

She slings out a barrage of shuriken and kunai, taking the moment they dodge out of the wall to throw up a dirt wall, the ninken crashing into it with a yelp. 

This fight was… boring her.

Which was weird, because she definitely should not be bored, this was just her type of fight, with instincts running on high and the thrum of something vaguely feral.

“You’ve been dodging this whole fight, puppy! C’mon now, hit me, unless you’re too scared?”

_ “Show them scared, Freyja.” _

The girl is too used to voices bouncing around in her head to visibly startle, but her hair pricks up the voice she’s only heard a few times before.

Closing her eyes, she opens them in the snowy landscape of her mind.

_ “Wolf,” she greets, noticing how the mountain is now bare of the cave/cave. The wolf in her head now has a more clear shape, looks like an actual thing more so than a child's scribble, “You have been quiet.” _

_ “Getting used to my new freedom.” he answers her unasked question, and she takes a moment to evaluate him.  _

_ A thick brown and black pelt with a white muzzle that rests on his paws, he’s larger than Dorje by far, she can see that even while hes laying down. His eyes gleam yellow, with pieces of snow sticking to his fur, the beast almost seems majestic. _

_ “So, you’ve decided to just roam free in my head? Rent free? I don’t even get a name?” to this the wolf chuckles, peering up at her. _

_ “I go by Tsuneo.” it's her turn to laugh as she crouches, reaching out her hand slowly, and when he flicks his ear, she rests it on his large head, it makes her larger-than-average hands seem small in comparison. _

_ “‘ _ Eternal hero?’  _ Someone’s cocky.” His fur is soft even in it’s coarseness, oddly. She can feel the chakra brimming through him, mostly void of the anger he used to hold towards her. _

_ “Maybe so. I misjudged you, Freyja, and I suppose the walls of my cave were slowly driving me mad.” he hums slightly, looking out across the mountains, “We have to learn to coincide now. To work together.” _

_ For a fleeting moment as Tsuneo bares his teeth in a wolfish grin, she feels the same heat that thrummed through her veins in the peak of her seal-filled bloodlust. _

_ “What do you say, Freyja?” he murmurs, something dripping off his words that sounds vaguely crazy. _

_ With a grin of her own, she nods. _

Freyja comes back to the real world barely a second later in real time, gasping like she’s breathing for the first time.

Her fangs ache and shes acutely aware of everything, the pebbles digging into the bottoms of her sandals, her sensei, team and friend’s eyes on her, the barely-there static in the air from the tension and lighting chakras bubbling in anticipation.

She’s also aware of the foot that clips her jaw as she leans, grabbing him by the shirt and slamming him to the floor. A cloud of dust puffs around the boy, who heaves as Freyja damn near dances away, unaware of the yellow that seems to slowly overtake her green usual green iris, pupil growing more slit than usual.

The dark skinned genin is so aware that she’s become unware of how she doesn’t exactly feel in control anymore. 

Or she was, until three wolves are nipping her hip as they dart past her, going in for the takedown.

Unbeknownst to her, Kakashi, Haku and Zabuza relax as the yellow bleeds from her eyes, the wolves quickly securing the win by pinning the boy and his ninken by their throats, rendering them unable to move.

“Haztanukai Freyja wins!” The girl grins, the wolves disappearing as she huffs quietly, walking out of the arena and up to the kids. “You did great, Freyja!” Sakura chirps, metal hair ties glinting in the light, and the elder chuckles.

“Of course I did, kid.” she said, slightly cocky and high of the thrill of the fight.

In her mindscape, the wolf curls into himself, content with how he protected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed this chapter, short as it may be!! also, please please PLEASE leave your feedback!! it really inspires me to keep going with this :D!!


	10. A Wolf’s Defense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suna and Oto launch their attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is v shitty but. oh well. also kinda short. please leave feedback!! i hope u guys enjoy this chapter :D
> 
> much love,  
> carson xx

The matches pass quickly. Naruto and Sakura each bring out a summons, the blond even surprising them with a handless jutsu. They both win their matches, to which Freyja congratulated them on; she had even congratulated Neji for his fighting, and gotten a palm to the side for her efforts.

Now, she’s currently watching Sasuke’s match against Gaara, the redhead clearly holding back some.

Or, she was. She glances over at the two boys creeping closer to her, grinning at them.

“Kiba and Shino, right? What’s up?” she greeted, turning her body slightly towards the two. The Inuzuka grinned as he slid up next to her, the Aburame more careful in his movements.

“I know our clans are sorta rivals, but I want you to help me train with Akamaru! You and your wolves are so in tune, and Ma’ ‘n Hana are busy and-“

She gave a laugh, reaching out a bandaged arm and patting his head lightly, “Sure, kid. I’ll find some time t’ train you, don’t worry.” after addressing the boy, she turned to the other, raising a brow, “What about you, kid, what’s your question?”

“I would also like to train with you. Why? You and your companions have large chakra supplies, and a tendency to work together. It will help me train not only against multiple opponents, but also beat Kiba.” she threw her head back with a laugh as Kiba sputtered about ‘being teammates.’ 

She checked back up on the match, head still tilted towards them, seeing Sasuke beside a rather large, scarred up panther, Hiko, she thinks his name was. 

The match seems to be going well, though the hair on her arms begins to prick up.

She straightens, slowly beginning to snarl, “Naruto, Sakura!” she calls, already starting to subconsciously draw the other two boys to her. Kiba compiled without hesitation, curling up under her arm, also growing tense. Shino followed his teammate’s lead, moving to stand closer, though obviously confused. 

The blond and pinkette look up from where they're standing with Kakashi and Gai, and her gut clenching slightly.

_ ‘They’ll be okay, they’re with Kakashi. They’ll be okay.’ _

She looks back towards the arena, where the ball around Gaara slowly falls.

_ “Would you care for me if I did evil?” _

It seems she misinterpreted his question.

Her heart aches, but the pure  _ rage _ she feels almost overshadows it.

She feels the genjutsu slowly try to over take her senses, but with a snarl she releases it.

Kankuro, Temari and Baki jump into the arena, Genma taking a place in front of Sasuke. It’s really not even a decision.

“Kiba, Shino, be safe. Find your sensei if you can. If you can’t… go to Kakashi.” Once they nod, dispersing from near her, she relaxes slightly.

She’s beside the senbon wielder a moment later, Kin loyally standing beside her, hackles raised and snarling. Hiko is also growling, tail lashing violently as he puts his teeth on display. The ‘feline-versus-canine’ comparison is almost cool.

“Freyja.” Genma murmurs, a certain look in his eye, and she forces herself not to be offended.

“Frey, c’mon,” Kankuro says, the red head’s arm thrown over his shoulder, “Don’t do this. We’re friends, Freyja,  _ pack! _ You don’t have to do this, just walk away.”

The words make her wince, before she sighs, “You are-  _ were. _ You were, but now you’re attacking my home and using Gaara as a  _ tool, _ not to mention you pose a threat to Sasuke.” she closed her eyes, hardening her resolve as she opened them, locking Kankuro with a stare she used for missions, “So now, you are an enemy.”

The pained expression on his face makes her chest tight, but she holds strong.

“Do you think things will go according to your plan?” the jounin asks, voice deceptively calm.

“I will make them so…”

There’s a long, tense moment, before the sensei yells ‘go!’

Kankuro and Temari jump over the wall, leaving Baki, hee, Genma, Sasuke and the two summons in the arena.

“Is Orochimaru the host of this party?” the said Konoha nin drawls, and Baki just huffs, getting ready to engage.

“Dunno.. in any case, let’s heat this thing up.”

Freyja let a low rumble rip from her throat, moving to cover Genma more as Kin and Hiko prepared to move.

“Sasuke, I’m sorry but the Chunin Exams end here.” he muttered, and the Uchiha grunted.

“Obviously.”

“You’ve already reached Chunin Level. If you’re a Leaf Shinobi, go be of service to the Leaf.” 

“In other words, go track down Gaara, right? A continuation of early.”

“Don’t trail him too far.” Freyja piped up, frowning, and the male beside her nodded.

“From here on, it’s the real thing.”

The ravent gave a small shrug, “What I have to do though is the same.”

“Sasuke, be careful, you know I’ll come running if you need me.”

He gave a small smile, nodding, “Of course, Freyja.”

He darted off, the panther following close behind. Baki scowled, “I won’t let him!” as he slung two kunai at the genin, only to be canceled out by Genma’s own two.

“Man, Genma, how’d you sound so cool?” she teased, and he cut her a glance.

“Are you gonna talk, or are you gonna help?”

And well, that was all Freyja needed.

She lunged, Kin behind her, flipping mid-air to dodge a barrage of shuriken.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.

_ “Are you willing to work together again?” _

A loud howl shook throughout her mind.

_ “I thought you’d never ask.” _

Heat pulses through her blood, nails lengthening and sharpening into claws, as she landed on her feet.

“Freyja!” she glanced up, looking at Zabuza as he landed beside her, Haku joining them a second later.

“Well if it isn’t the missing-nin,” Baki drawled, and Zabuza glared.

“Just like old times, it’s been awhile since we attacked together.” the man mused, pulling his sword from its sheath.

“It has been rather long,” the enby hummed, slowly getting into position.

The dark skinned girl gave a grin as she looked back at Genma, “Go and protect the ones who need protecting, yeah? We’ve got it from here.”

He, although slightly hesitantly, complied, jumping into the stands.

In said stands, she hears a loud howl, that’s unmistakably Dorje’s, Sakura must have summoned him. A few moments later, two Oto nins’ bodies hit the arena floor.

“Do you like them?!” the black wolf shouts, paws holding him up on the railing of the stands.

She nods, Kin huffing beside her, “Love them! Thank you!”

“You’re just as disturbing as I remember.” Baki grunts, and she merely shrugs.

“Oh well. You’re going to be dead soon anyways.”

She moves first, digging claws into his arm as he dodges. Zabuza’s sword clips his side, while Haku’s ice darts at him from their angle. He quickly jumps out of the way, only for his leg to be caught by the golden wolf.

He kicks him in the snout, but that only serves to piss the wolf off, making him tighten his jaws.

Freyja quickly switches to the Gentle Fist style, landing a hit to his sides and leg. He jabs a kunai into her weak knee, causing her to curse, jumping back quickly. 

She stumbled as she landed, Haku hovering a healing hand over her wound, fixing the worst of it. She murmured a small thanks, receiving a nod back.

This back and forth of clashing weapons slowly begins to aggravate all parties. Baki keeps aiming for Freyja’s bad knee, this being known information to him. She’s managed to dodge or block most hits, but the hits he has landed have been brutal.

The said joint nearly gives out on her when she lands this time, earning her a slice to the side as payment. Zabuza hauls her back from what would’ve been a fatal hit.

“Freyja, go. He knows too many of your weak spots.” the ex-swordsmen hissed, and she clenched her jaw. 

Freyja knew he was right, of course, but it didn’t feel right leaving them behind. 

She looked at Kin, nodding at him, and he nodded back. She looked at Zabuza and Haku, reluctantly sighing. 

She knew they’d been slowly, yet surely wearing Baki down. Zabuza and Haku would be fine, so, with a trademark Haztanukai grin (ones that shows a bit too much teeth and the peekings of gums) she jumps away, ignoring the slight pinching in her knee.

She knows her knee is fucked up, but she cannot stop fighting, she's on her own now, having left Kin with the other two, and her primary summons are…

Sprinting away from the carnage. 

She pressed down on the ‘Talk Seal,’ immediately beginning her rant as soon as she felt one of them tap in.

_ ‘ _ _ You better have a  _ damn _ good reason as to why you’re running off right now, with one of the pups no less! _ _ ’ _

_ ‘ _ _ Freyja, we’re in pursuit of Gaara. We went with Sakura, we’ll talk when we get back. _ _ ’  _ and Suotomo taps out, and she growls, feeling more strength flow through her muscles. Who did that little fucker think he was?

The tall girl turned, jabbing two clawed fingers through the Oto nin’s eyes, drawing the same finger out and slashing his throat before he had a moment to register exactly what was happening, warm splatters hitting her face.

Grimacing, she wiped her fingers clean on her pants, deciding to ignore the blood on her face for now. Turning back she quickly sniffs out the rest of the foreign nin, unsealing her katana and twirling it slightly. Time to get serious.

She dove into the combat, a shinobi immediately on her, just barely dodging her swipes, but she doesn't have to worry a second later as a large, kunai-like blade plunges through the chest of the non, and he drops dead a second later. She peers at the two gate guards, smiling slightly in thanks.

“You keep twitching, you're used to fighting with counterparts,” one of them states, before jerking his head, “C’mon, kid, fight with us. We’re the best substitute you’ve got right now.”

Thinking about how she has  _ got _ to learn their names, Freyja nods, following them.

They fight quickly and efficiently, cornering nin before making the killing strike and moving on to the next one.

It’s so quick, so fast paced that she forgets about her knee until a sharp ache thobs through it, giving out right as the foreign shinobi they were fighting drops.

“Shit! Kotetsu, help me get her behind this row,” one hisses, the other quickly moving her as she groans, knee developing an insistent, painful aching. She touches it, quietly yelping at the sting of it. It’s bad, it’s  _ so _ bad.

“Hey, it’s fine, let me just- oh fuck.” ‘Kotetsu’ curses, having pushed up her pants leg, laying eyes on her bruised and bloodied knee. Looking at it, she can see the cap of her knee is slightly shifted to the side, as well as the stab wound from Baki’s kunai. It’s purpled and bruised black in some places, as well as some deep cuts across and around it. His touch is light, obviously trying not to hurt her, but she whines high in her throat anyways because  _ fuck _ that  _ fucking hurts, _ and she jerks her knee away before he can touch any of the blood.

“Shit, kid, how did you even move like this, where's a medic, Izumo, go snag the closest person who knows medical ninjutsu.” he says, and ‘Izumo’ nods, flickering away.

“I couldn’t feel it until a moment ago.” she ground out, and lets her head fall back against the seat when Kotetsu let out the longest, most vulgar string of curses she’s ever heard. 

“You’re a Haztanukai, aren’t you?” at her nod, he hummed, “okay, on a scale of 1-to-10, how bad does it hurt?” 

Thinking for a moment, she huffed, “A 6, maybe 7.”

“Well that’s not good.” he ducked down as a kunai went flying over his head, checking over the rest of her. She can feel Tsuneo retracting from her, leaving her tired. Kotetsu looks up, squeaking at the Sannin he finds there.

The teen looks up at Tsunade, who, without a word, crouches in front of her, hovering her glowing hands over her knee. Freyja sighs in relief, the pain ebbing away slowly but surely. The bruises and gashes close under the healing chakra.

After a couple more moments, her knee is healed, and she goes to stretch it out before the blonde woman’s hand grabs it.

“Brat, your knee is underdeveloped. I would ask if it pains you, but I know the answer would be ‘no.’” she grunts, and the wolf summoner nods.

“It’s a common birth defect in the clan, some joints are underdeveloped or just hurt excessively.” she shrugs, and the Sannin rolls her eyes.

“Damn Haztanukai’s…” she muttered, before disappearing again, and Freyja stands, obviously tired, but pressing on.

“Alright, back to work boys. Time’s of the essence.”

The two just chuckle, slightly shoving her. She can smell their scents spike, a fond grin curling on her face. 

So they return to their little attack pattern, Freyja even bringing out an axe-like weapon she’d gotten forever ago. At some point Kotetsu nearly slips on a blood puddle and the genin nearly gets killed from laughing at him, causing the responsible one of the two to cuff her over the head before they move on.

After taking down a couple of nin, they’re called over by an ANBU and told they need to go and help in the village, so the makeshift trio goes.

“Freyja, what’re your affinities?” Izumo asked, and the girl hums.

“Water with a weaker earth affinity, why?” 

“Just wondering.”

And they fight, tearing through enemies until a shinobi slices her palm clean open. She doesn’t really feel it, and just stares as the man licks her blood off his kunai.

“Izump, Kotetsu, just back up, don’t put any more effort into this fight.”

The chunin are confused, but comply, back away and just dodging. 

Around a minute later, the shinobi stumbles, gagging before collapsing to his night. Freyja kills him quickly.

At their questioning looks, she explains, “My blood is extremely toxic and poisonous to anyone who consumes or touches it, because of the high level of concentrated iron in my blood.”

“So  _ that’s  _ why I got sick,” Kotetsu mutters, and Freyja takes a moment to think. When would he have had the chance to…

_ (“Proof of identification?” _

_ The dark skinned girl simply lifted one of her unwrapped fingers, her thumb, to be specific, and dragged it across her sharper than average canine; it drew blood, and she let drip onto the scroll, the blood and a small pulse of her chakra allowing a seal and the Kazekage’s signature appeared. _

_ “Hatake!” another jounin called out, and the three turned their heads toward him, curiously, “We need you at the gates real quick, can you help?”) _

She gives a laugh, raising a brow, “You touched it?”

“Yeah! I wanted to make sure it was blood.” 

“What else would it have been?” 

“I don't know, a substitute!” he cried, frowning at the snickering genin, whereas his partner looked less than impressed. 

“They had to get Hatake to take him to the hospital.”

And she laughs, despite the clashes she can hear of kunai and shuriken, she laughs. 

“Damn, if I make it outta this I have  _ got _ to start hanging with you two more often.”

It’s only a short time later that a senbon pierces the neck of a shinobi in front of them, as Freyja turns, grinning at the two ex-missing nin. A bit bruised and bloodied, but alive. 

“Oi, Fang, Hatake’s looking for you, we left Kin with Genma, they seem to get along great.” Zabuza drawled, and she nodded, turning to the other two.

“Run on to your sensei, kid, I’m sure these two are somewhat on your level.” Kotetsu teased, and she growled, lightly punching him on the shoulder.

“Hush up, you four better stay safe and  _ alive,  _ or I’ll make Orochimaru look like a fuckin’  _ saint. _ ”

They just chuckle at her, waving her away. She gives a salute, jumping across buildings to get back to the arena.

“That kid’s got a lot of nerve for someone who we saw beaten to hell after one of her first out-of- the-village missions here.” Izumo muttered, shaking his head.

“Freyja-san is rather odd.” Haku says, before they’re faced with more nin, and there’s not time to talk, but Zabuza can tell that the two chunin are already some kind of attached to Freyja, it’s unavoidable.

Just out of eyesight, Freyja is pinned against the ground, arms twisted painfully and unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i will not apologize <3
> 
> join the discord!! and 👉👈 maybe comment?? i hope u enjoyed the chapter!!!
> 
> https://discord.gg/SdaBf7Y


	11. The Wolf’s Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freyja spends a few days in T&I, while Kakashi and co. look for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short chapter!! the next one should be longer. i hope you enjoy it :)

The genin groaned, her head slowly rising from it’s hanging position, only to roll back over her shoulders. It was cold, and bright, wherever she was.

She took a deep breath, before snapping her eyes open, blinking away the bleariness. Her muscles involuntarily seized, looking around the interrogation room. She had chakra-blocking seals wrapped around her wrist and feet, which were both bound.

Her hair was down, hanging in her face, hitai-ate gone, as well as her pouches of kunai and such. Bandages around her arms were still there, though.

She took another breath, before closing her eyes.

_ “Son of a BITCH!”  _ she screamed, thrashing for just a moment before settling back down, shaking her hair away from her face. She adjusted her position in her chair, huffing.

“Well. It’s more comfortable than my first torture session.”

She sits there for god knows how long, before the door finally opens, and she looks at the scarred man walking through it.

He sits down across from her, silent, and opens a folder.

“Haztanukai Freyja. 16. Genin, transferred from Sunagakure. Lost her original genin team at 13.” he closes the file, “Do you know why you’re here, Haztanukai?”

“Because I transferred from Suna a little while before the invasion.” she says, tone calm and even, and the man levels her with a stare.

“Anything you have to say for that?”

A shrug, “Check my memories, Shinobi-san, they’ll tell you all you need to know.”

He set his elbows on the table, and Freyja’s gut clenched. Fuck.

“Why don’t  _ you _ , tell me that.”

**_Z A B U Z A_ **

In what seems like ages later, the large boa finally disappears, the few remaining forigen nin that are alive are taken in, and Haku and Zabuza go to leave to reunite with Freyja.

“Hey, tell Wolfie to come see us, yeah? The girl’s a trip!” Kotetsu laughs, before getting shoved lightly by his best friend, “Izumo! Ow!”

They jump back, Haku going to pester the genin, and Kakashi looks at him expectantly as he walks up to him, idly twirling a kunai.

“What?” Zabuza grunted, and the man rolled his eyes.

“Thanks so much for sending her back my way.”

The swordsman stops his hands movements, slowly turning to look at the other jonin.

“I did.”

There's a beat of silence.

“ _ So where the fuck is she _ .”

Sakura’s head has turned towards them, grabbing Naruto’s pinky and Sasuke’s sleeve, before the three wolves are standing around them.

They immediately stick their noses to the ground, sniffing insistently before sprinting off, becoming just dots in record time.

“You lost the pup?” Kakashi snarled. and Zabuza pocketed the kunai, taking a step forward. The silver haired man took one as well, straightening his shoulders in an attempt to intimidate him.

“ _ I _ didn’t lose  _ shit,  _ Hatake, let’s settle that first.” 

“Did I ask-“

“Do we really need to be arguing about this?!” Naruto snapped, small fangs ( _ milk teeth _ is what Freyja calls them) bared in a snarl, “Freyja is missing, and you’re  _ bickering? _ ”

“Freyja’s missing?” Zabuza turns to look at an Inuzuka, an Aburame, and a Hyuuga, who all look some degree of concerned.

“It appears Freyja-san is missing. Why? Because she is not here, and only wisps of her chakra are around the area.” The bug-boy states, “This wouldn’t have happened if we had gone with her into the arena.”

“Are you serious?! I was just following the Al-“ the boy with red triangles on his cheeks stops, seeming flabbergasted with himself, before the girl cuts in.

“U-uhm. May-maybe instead of-of  _ arguing, _ we could uhm, lo-look for her?” she whispers, tapping her two pointer fingers together nervously.

“Good idea, Hinata-chan,” Sakura smiles, “We should probably split up into teams. Kiba, you’re with me and Haku,” the older teen nods while the others seem to be just noticing them, “Shino go with Hinata and Sasuke, Naruto can either also go with me or Kakashi-sensei and Zabuza.”

“Hey, why does she get to make the decisions?” ‘Kiba’ whined, though he was already making his way over to the pinkette.

“Because she’s Freyja’s mini-me.” Sasuke grumbled, frowning, dare Zabuza say  _ pouting _ , at the truth in the words.

There's a pause, before Naruto huffs, “I’ll go with Zabu-san and Kaka-sensei.”

“Okay then,” Kakashi grins behind his mask, “We’ll meet back here in around… 3 hours? One of my ninken will be shadowing and helping all of you, but shouldn’t you kids be getting back to Kurenai?”

They merely shrugged, “Can’t find her.” 

“Alrighty then, let’s split up in 3, 2, 1-!”

They all jump away from each other, Naruto having summoned Keke and another, older fox, and a couple of shadow clones.

“Let’s tear this village apart.”

And they do. God, they do. Kakashi and his ninken look in every nook and cranny, Naruto’s shadow clones and foxes go through as much rubble as they can.

When they group back up, Sasuke and Sakura’s hands are busted and blistered, and Haku’s shoulders are scraped up from squeezing between rubble, but no Freyja.

Akamaru’s snout is dirty with dust and bits of rubble, Kiba’s hands are raw, Shino’s bugs are still fluttering around, and the Uchiha and Hinata are rubbing their eyes from the ache.

But no Freyja.

“It’s so weird! Her scent just- stops! In the middle of an alleyway!” Kiba complained, sitting in the middle of the arena, the other genin also sitting around him.

“Who’s does?” Genma asks as flickered in front of them, Kin’s large form next to him, and Zabuza thinks it’s oddly fitting.

“Freyja’s, she’s missing.” Kakashi says, and the senbon user looks genuinely surprised.

“That’s not good.”

The swordsman groans, when Freyja gets into something, it never is.

The wolves never show back up, either, and Kin refuses to unsummon.

Zabuza sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, all he can hope is that she turns up soon.

Four days. It’s been four days, neither Freyja or her wolves have shown back up, the Third was dead, and Tsunade was the new Hokage.

He’s summoned on the fourth day, him and Kakashi both.

The woman looks tired, but her tone is firm as she speaks.

“I know you two are close to Freyja, but I need to speak with her, so can you please bring her in?”

The two glance at each other warily, before turning back to the hokage.

“Hokage-sama, we haven’t seen Freyja in days.” Kakashi says, “We haven’t been able to find her, and her summons haven’t returned from their search either.”

Tsunade looks at them, deathly calm.

“What.”

“I sent her Kakashi’s way during the invasion when Haku and I grouped up with her, Kotetsu and Izumo.” he said, “At some point during her way between us and him, something happened, we looked for her for hours, we were hoping  _ you _ knew where she was.”

Before the new Hokage can speak again, there’s a knock on the door. 

“You two are dismissed, come in!” she yelled, hands twitching slightly as Ibiki opened the door, holding it open for the two jonin. Reluctantly, Kakashi moves to go through it, apparently opposed to using anything but a window as a door when he stops, turning to the scarred man and taking a deep breath.

_ “She’s in T&I?” _

**_F R E Y J A_ **

She doesn’t know how long she's been here. She can feel the pin pricks of pain that she’d identified as broken bones long ago, and takes a deep breath.

_ The snow pleasantly cooled her legs, a soft sigh escaping her as she looked at Tsuneo, who was curled around her protectively. _

_ “How long ‘s it been?” she murmured, and the wolf hummed. _

_ “At least three days.” he muttered, and she huffed, letting her head rest on his furry neck. _

_ “How long are they going to keep us?” _

_ “I don’t kno- someone just entered the room.” _

Freyja blinked back into the real world, staring at the ANBU with a cat mask, who smelled strongly of wood. She raised a brow at him as he walked forward, uncuffing her hands and feet, before removing the chakra-blocking seals. Then, picking up a bag she hadn’t noticed before, he set it on the table, letting her grab her missing items.

She nodded thankfully, securing her hitai-ate around her arm, before tying up her hair. With a huff, she began strapping her pouches around her legs and such, only feeling a mild discomfort in her broken fingers.

The cat-masked ANBU watched patiently, though she could smell the barely-there concern, proven when he lightly batted her hands away, strapping on the last two pouches himself.

“Thank you ANBU-san.” she murmured, getting a nod in response.

Taking a breath, she scrunched her nose, walking right out of the room, much to the slight-stress of the masked nin. 

She bypassed some T&I shinobi, who refrained from grabbing her due to the presence behind her, not that she noticed, focused solely on getting to her wolves. 

Cat opens the door easily, the muted sounds of snarling bouncing through the walls. The other two operatives, who were probably there as eye-witnesses, cursed up a storm as Freyja entered, banging on the door to warn their comrade. 

The man looked up just as the genin opened the second door, though before she could even begin to bare her teeth, she was out cold. 

The cat ANBU sighed silently, he thought this was supposed to be  _ easy.  _

Freyja comes to with a groan, and a hand on her head. It’s Kakashi’s, strangely enough, she can tell from the bubbling lighting chakra beside her. She groans, pushing her head into his light petting. 

“Welcome back.” he hums, as she cracks an eye open, rolling them as she notices the orange book in his other hand.

“Thanks,” she rasped, moving to sit up, “where are the pups? Zabuza? Everyone okay?” 

“Yes, the pups and everyone are okay. Minor injuries, at worst.” 

The girl hummed, rubbing her throat slightly, “Why’d they keep me in T&I?”

“Misinformation. They were told the new Hokage thought you were a traitor, and that Inochi was too busy.”

“Hm.” she laid back, the pressure in her chest lessening slightly. She could tell all of her wolves were in place, before she paused, sitting back up, and tugging at her hospital gown to reveal her bicep, where the kanji for ‘metal’ sat. 

“A new seal?” she questioned, looking up at Kakashi, and he nodded.

“Jiraya figured it was the least he could do.” Freyja nodded, running deft fingers over it. Her bandages were still there, thankfully, and she sighed.

“When am I getting discharged?”

“As soon as Tsunade-sama gives you the go ahead, it seems she’s grown slightly fond of you.” there was a barely there mirth to his tone that had her shoving his shoulder lightly.

“Shut up, Kakashi.”

The man just chuckles.

If being  _ ‘fond of her’ _ means smacking her ‘round the head when she sees her, then yeah, Tsunade-sama is  _ very _ fond of her. 

Less than an hour later, she’s walking out the door with her sensei, stretching out slightly.

“I need to go shopping.” she muttered, scratching slightly at her neck, “Get some new clothes.”

“Switching up your style?” the man asked, and she nodded. 

“Yeah, why not, yknow?” she gave a small shrug, “Might take Sakura, let her splurge a little.” Kakashi nods, giving a small hum.

“That’d be a good bonding experience for you two, hm?” 

“Yeah. I’d take the boys but… I’m so out of my element there. What do boys like?” she gave a small sigh, scratching at her jaw. “I might get Zabuza to help, I’m not sure.”

“Maa, forgetting about me, Freyja?” her sensei asked, closing his book and putting it away. “I’d be happy to help, y'know. You are my students, after all.” 

The raven headed girl chuckled, shaking her head lightly, “Of course, Kakashi-sensei. I just didn’t know if that would be something you wanted to do.” 

“I’m always happy to help my team.” though she can’t see it, she can tell the smile he gives is soft, “I know I haven’t been the best sensei, but I’m going to do better, be better.”

She lightly bumps into his shoulder, eyes warm with a happiness that comes from the pit of her chest.

“Well, that’s all any of us can do, after all.”

Overhead, starts and street lights twinkle.

**Author's Note:**

> the mouth seal is not my idea! i got it from 'The Deception of Dai-nana-han' which is really good, and you should 100% check it out!
> 
> kakashi's pin board:  
> https://www.pinterest.com/sleepicide/hatake-kakashi/


End file.
